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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29119923">Fallen First Order Fluff</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/nixcomix/pseuds/nixcomix'>nixcomix</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Rise of Ben Solo [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Crack Treated Seriously, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Crack, Funny</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-04-11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:07:43</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>71,447</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29119923</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/nixcomix/pseuds/nixcomix</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>An episodic collection of softness, crack, smut, and hilarity in the world of "The Rise of Ben Solo."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Finn &amp; Ben Solo, Finn &amp; Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Rise of Ben Solo [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>215</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>97</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. First Order Hygiene (Rey’s Hairy Legs)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p><p>“The Redmption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption.</p><p>This is not that. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you're patient. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3 </p><p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header. </p><p>A special shout out to Enloeddmedia (Twitter:@shannon_enloe), author of “The Galaxy Needs a Nerd.” This fic is so damn priceless in its sense of humor, so I asked for her support in making sure I offer you peak-hilarity. She took a look at my chapter summaries and gave me the stamp of approval - so, you know… God help us all.<br/>Read all about Canon-AU-Nerdy-Ben here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24063697/chapters/57910351</p><p>Also, shout outs for Elle. Always and forever, Elle. &lt;3</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <br/>
</p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p>
  <b>Tags: </b>
  <span>Crack treated seriously, Funny (I hope), Minor wound/bleeding.</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Time Frame: </b>
  <span>A2D, BS (After Second Death, Before Starlight)</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Where:</b>
  <span> Bilita Mpash - The Eden Planet (FFO)</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Finn’s lips twist into a challenging smile, dark in all the right places. “But, you can </span>
  <em>
    <span>get off,</span>
  </em>
  <span> right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel blows a raspberry through his lips and rolls his eyes at the holoscreen. “Of course I can get off,” he casts his smug expression over his shoulder. “Right, boss?”</span>
</p><p><span>Ben pulls a face, crossing his arms and sighing heavily through his nose. “Fine; you can get off. We</span> <span>can </span><em><span>both</span></em><span> get off.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Now Finn passes his eyes over his Co-General’s pursed lips. “You?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poe’s voice is low and filled with irritation. “No! No, I can’t just </span>
  <em>
    <span>get off!!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>He flutters the papers on his desk violently, crumpling some of it with his fluster. “SOME PEOPLE have work to do!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn pouts. “It’s just vacation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben pushes his fingers into the ridge of his brow, “If I’m going? It’s a </span>
  <em>
    <span>working </span>
  </em>
  <span>vacation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The esteemed leader of the Galactic Reintegration Efforts gives a crude upward gesture to the blue holo-flicker that contains the regent of the Fallen First Order. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn grumbles, “C’mon, man. How many times do you have to die before you take a break?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smirking, Ciel says, “At least twice, apparently.” Ben gives him a look. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Working. Vacation.” he repeats, and Finn holds his hands in the air in submission. He’ll take it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>See – Lando had been telling him all about ‘vacations’. Ben had them when he was a kid – but not since. Rey’d never had one. No one in their merry band of First Order fall-outs had, either. Hell, only </span>
  <em>
    <span>Poe </span>
  </em>
  <span>had them consistently, that lucky bastard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>So, you know what? Screw it. If he can’t come, he can’t come.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn’s grin widens. “All right – just us, then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“What?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Poe sounds incredulous and high-pitched. “I’ve got a week of on-world meetings! You’re not even gonna wait for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He and Ciel, “Nope” in tandem while Ben chimes in with an, “Evidently not.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The papers fly in the air as the Pilot tosses them, grunting out an explicative. “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> get off of work.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lies.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He’s grumpy – and that makes her grumpy too, damnit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey sits flat on her rump in the warm sand of Bilita Mpash, the Eden planet, and stares as the gorgeous aqua blue water lapping at the shoreline. The sound rushes in her ears like a miracle, and her friends’ laughter sings around her like a song – but she’s just so </span>
  <em>
    <span>goddamned irritated.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben has a sunburn.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His whiteness has bloomed into angry red splotches, and all because he’d ignored how harsh the light is for non-natives. A untouched pale line under his small collar is the only thing that remains of his natural skin color. He sits under a small shade in the sand beside her, fuming and pretending his skin isn’t on fire, and his clipped responses have made their friends completely cut him out of the conversation – unwilling to deal with his… </span>
  <em>
    <span>mood</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey has started to freckle – but Jakku has similar rays, so it doesn’t really bother her. She </span>
  <em>
    <span>told </span>
  </em>
  <span>him and </span>
  <em>
    <span>told </span>
  </em>
  <span>him and </span>
  <em>
    <span>told </span>
  </em>
  <span>him – but he ignored her. She’d say he deserves every minute of his discomfort… except that she feels it, too. Scolding him under her breath, “You should have just used the damn sun blocker.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He gives her the side eye and grinds his jaw before drawing away from his end of the bond. The relief is </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediate, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and her skin stops stinging.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finally,” she sighs, sarcastically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You should have backed off, if you didn’t like it,” he grumbles back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey feels like an aggravation-vein is going to burst in her temple. </span>
</p><p><span>It doesn’t help that Rasi is silently fawning all over her husband. Their host, the Idana Councilman, is a gorgeous sentient; completely mistakable for human, except that he’s too eerily beautiful. Hair too perfect, skin too pristine, angles too symmetrical. He has a vicious crush on Ben, who’d selected him for leadership. Rey agrees that he’s the best candidate out of the options. He’s significantly less elitist and at least slightly</span> <span>less… ehm… species-ist.</span></p><p>
  <span>The Idana look down on non-humanoids. Yet another thing that’s irritating her at this present moment. Other species are segregated off to specific areas of the beach. She and Ben are working to change this mindset, steadily, but this planet has only been a part of the FFO for a few months. Most of that time was while Ben was on trial – so it hadn’t been the priority on anyone’s minds. The memory of that whole event sinks her mood further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Add to that the annoying fact that the creature’s mind is constantly throbbing, ‘Master Solo, Master Solo,’ with imaginary hearts drawn all around it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey feels like whipping around to clarify that, no, Rasi Wedadineti </span>
  <em>
    <span>will NOT </span>
  </em>
  <span>become a second mate for his Monarch, but Ben beats her to it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You do realize I can hear </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything </span>
  </em>
  <span>you’re thinking, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rasi flushes and his eyes go wide. He tentatively ekes out the words, “…And…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Voice dripping with malice, Ben utters the simple words, “Go. Away.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The creature’s follow up thought is, ‘That’s not a no…’ and Rey wants to pop him in the throat. He removes himself to Rey’s other side, nudging her sweetly, wanting to be sister-wives or something.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She decides that she hates ‘vacation’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The saving grace is that Rà is racing on the sand and using the Force to fling water into his friend’s face. The sight of him playing softens her, and she can’t help but smile. All the other orphanage kids are doing the same, dodging in and out of waves. Ari laughs as she chases them, the other teachers following suit. They all really seem to be enjoying themselves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Ciel had said the word ‘vacation’ to his new lady-friend, the first thing that happened was that her eyes went comically wide with stars. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The second thing that happened was that she asked to bring the kids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All the kids.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel’s face had been a precious mix of adoration and absolute aggravation. He gave in pretty fast, though… in fact, it was right after Ciel watched Ben’s eyes glisten at the idea of bringing the children somewhere nice for the first time. Rey had been unsure about carting forty-three tweens and teens onto a planet with potential unknown dangers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But at least </span>
  <em>
    <span>they’re </span>
  </em>
  <span>all wearing </span>
  <em>
    <span>sunblocker.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ari turns away from her herd, plunking down in the sand next to Ciel and Jannah with a happy sigh. Finn hands her a cold drink and she thanks him, sweetly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s nice, Rey thinks. Jannah can be a bit… aggressive… but Ariani is (mostly) soft. Like a real mom should be. Maybe she’s someone Rey can look up to in that regard. She’d never experienced a mom, so it would be nice to have someone to bounce parenting ideas off of. God knows Ben is a complete pushover when it comes to his son. Someone needs to set up (and hold up) the rules; it just sucks that it has to be her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ugh, she’s so annoyed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other woman stretches her legs out and wiggles her sandy toes, unintentionally drawing Rey’s attention. Ariani’s limbs are also soft, especially compared to her and Ben’s hardened muscle. Plus, she…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey narrows her eyes and draws her brows together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ari…?” she can’t help but ask, concerned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?” the woman sips the tiny straw in her drink pouch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey swallows. “What’s wrong with your legs?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariani’s eyes narrow, snapping her gaze down to see what the issue is. All conversion halts, as the rest of the crew follows suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except for Ben. Ben’s still off daydreaming in the land of the assholes, right now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other woman brushes some of the clinging sand from her skin and twists her knees to look at the backs of her calves as well. “What? I don’t see anything…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean, you don’t see it?” Rey marvels.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel grabs Ariani’s thighs and swings them into his lap, inspecting them clinically. Finn and Jannah look her up and down as well, humming their confusion. Ari, understandably, starts to grow concerned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She whispers, nervously, “Can you sense something wrong with me? Like, in the Force?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn blanches – as much as he can, anyway. “Does she have leg sickness?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ari’s jaw unhinges and drops dramatically, eyes wide with fear.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Leg sickness?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Rey asks into her husband’s mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>What the hell is ‘leg sickness’?</span>
  </em>
  <span> But Ben isn’t paying attention.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What? What?! No!” Rey corrects, flipping her arm in a gesture towards the other woman’s lower half. “She has no</span>
  <em>
    <span> hair!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>All eyes drop to Ariani’s body. If she’d been self-conscious before, she’s even more so now. A small flush creeps up her cheeks and she looks slightly offended. “O-of </span>
  <em>
    <span>course </span>
  </em>
  <span>I don’t have hair! Why would I?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Each of Rey’s friends now turn in tandem to look at her, warily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Forehead wrinkling into lines, Ciel asks, “What are you even talking about?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dumbfounded doesn’t quite describe the Lightsider’s feelings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn cocks an eyebrow at her, scoffing, “No one has </span>
  <em>
    <span>leg hair, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She sputters; her flabbergasted feeling finally catching Ben’s attention and forcing him to clue into the conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?! I have leg hair!” she declares. As if to prove her point, she unfolds from her meditative pose and shows off, her little black barbs laying softly over her toned muscle. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Friendly faces of incredulity turn to… disgust. She swears she even sees Finn’s lips curl.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey!” she yelps. As if </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> was the weird one, here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben leans over and the dyad both review each pair of First Order legs. All their friend’s extremities </span>
  <em>
    <span>glint</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the sunlight. Sleek, strong, and completely devoid of hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben looks at her with one eyebrow up. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rasi, that ball of hormones, chimes in. “Master Rey, Humans in their natural state have hair like this on their bodies but, in many cultures that have developed across the worlds, it’s usually removed. This is especially popular in the Core.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gapes at the ridiculousness. “But – why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Idana male shrugs. “Fashion.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel leans back, offended, making no move to release Ari’s legs. “Hygiene!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben cocks his head to the side. “Say again?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ariani extracts her lower limbs and folds them shyly underneath herself, obviously not used to attention like this. “Um – once trooper children hit puberty, all hair below the neckline is removed. It helps with perspiration, barrack air quality, general cleanliness…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hygiene!” Ciel repeats again, as if they were morons.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey feels that vein in her temple about to burst, again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes travel down her own body, looking at her arms and legs as if she’d never seen them before. Unfortunately, her friends and Ben are doing the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s only a moment before her husband snorts, “So what? I have it, too. We match. It’s normal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rasi coughs mildly. “Well – not for most females.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn’s voice sounds a little flippant. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“And males.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“No – No,” the Councilman snickers. “Actually, it’s really strange that you’re hairless. Many cultures think of male hair as proving some kind of… virility. You look effeminate this way. Actually, </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite </span>
  </em>
  <span>effeminate.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s face turns So Freaking Smug. Unfortunately, the others aren’t as pleased.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sensing some tension, Rasi adds, “Though – male sex workers often do this to attract certain kinds of clientele. It can be quite a popular enhancement!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben blatts a laugh so loud, it turns heads on the beach. Ciel and Finn pull their expressions to scowls and peer down at themselves. The guards that surround their group cover their mouths to hide their amusement, and they’re not alone – Jannah and Ari are right there with them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey takes her time appreciating their miffed expressions before she flits her eyes down her own body again, folding her legs in insecurity. Ben reaches over to hold her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We’re the same. And I like it that way, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he pushes into her mind before falling back into sullen-sunburned mode.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She gives him a half-hearted smile before pulling back farther from the bond to hide her budding feelings of shame and inadequacy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn leans in and whispers, “Rey… show me your armpits.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wants to crawl under a rock. “I don’t have any there! Plutt had it removed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaning in to follow suit, Rasi joins the conversation conspiratorially. “Who’s Plutt? And why would they remove some, but not all, of your hair?”</span>
</p><p><span>What Rey </span><em><span>could </span></em><span>say is that he might have been prepping her for another kind of ‘job’, had she not been so good at scavenging. What she chooses</span> <span>to say is a fumbling, “Hygiene…”</span></p><p>
  <span>Finn presses his lips together in concern; understanding what she means even without her having to say it. He reaches out to pat her leg but grimaces and stops before his hand touches her… pelt.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Switch off!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she yells, flicking sand at him from below.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sputters and backs off, swiping grains from his face. “I hate sand!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To which, Ben coughs a laugh again. “I’ve heard that one before.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey disconnects from the conversation that debates the merits and folly of tiny particles of rock, and chews on her bottom lip. Her… sister-wife-wannabe… smiles down on her kindly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are ways to remove it, if you’d like.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks at him with eyes that are likely a little too round. “Really?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods. “Some shear it off with razors, some use special creams, some use laser treatments, some use hot wax – all sorts of options.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She tilts her head to the side, considering.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shifts his shoulder into hers, nudging her slightly. “I can get you most of what you need – except for the laser part,” he chuckles warmly. “You try and see what you like best.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She feels slightly moved. Though it’s all completely strange, she’s grateful for his non-judgmental sweetness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shyly, he looks away. “But, Master Rey, can I ask you something in return?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lets her soft side show again as she smiles at him, encouraging, “Of course. Anything.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A blush rises to the male’s cheeks. “Can… can you tell me if Master Solo prefers you that way? If so, then maybe I…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Welp, there’s that goddamned vein in her forehead again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She truly hates ‘vacation’.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rey gathers the implements of hair-destruction in her arms and slides into her shared room with Ben. The men and Jannah have gone back to work, and Ari’s passed out with a good portion of the kids. Now is the perfect time to see what these things from Rasi actually do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’d half-thought to let him come instruct her… but if she ‘overheard’ one more of his thoughts about salving the burn on her husband’s shoulders, she might have killed him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No – better to do this alone. Less embarrassing this way. There is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot </span>
  </em>
  <span>of hair here. And some of it is in very… personal places. She eyes her undies, unsure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Better to save that part for last.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lines up everything in a row; depilatory cream, razor, waxing kit, lightsaber. Good. Yes. Okay. She’ll start with the cream – that seems fairly easy. Let’s see if this goes well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lifting her wrists and kicking out her legs, she regards both, deciding that her arms will be her first test subjects. Looking at the little wisps that lay there, she croons, “Goodbye old friends,” for no reason whatsoever.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Unscrewing the cap, she takes a generous scoop and begins to slather it over her whole arm. Both arms. Thick, like frosting on cakes. After all, if a little works, more should work better, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The sting is fucking </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediate. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And it smells like nothing else. An acrid stench that floods her ‘fresher with (what must be) some kind of poisonous gas. Any part of her not searing with chemical burns decides to prickle into gooseflesh, instead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She feels the gentle touch of Ben’s curiosity perk up and she waves it away with a gruff, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m fine, </span>
  </em>
  <span>before putting the man on emotional and sensory mute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t know what she’s doing – and he’s not </span>
  <em>
    <span>going to know</span>
  </em>
  <span> until he comes home tonight. She’s going to rub her new, smooth body up Ben’s bare back and see for herself if he prefers the Core-World style. If she’s lucky, maybe he’ll kiss the sting away.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Gods, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the sting!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s twitching. Not just her arm muscles – but her face as well. The corners of her lips tick down in a grimace. Moving her limbs awkwardly, making a great effort not to smear a single ounce onto the rest of her, she picks up the container and reviews the instructions – specifically the amount of time she’s supposed to leave this stuff on for.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Twenty. Standard. Minutes.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?</span>
  </em>
  <span> she screams silently, eyes wide and incredulous until her bottom lid jerks up, slightly. Is this the level of discomfort and irritation Ben feels every time his left eye twitches? If so – what a miserable thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe meditation will help… but she can’t quite arrange herself properly. Instead of her normal pose, she lifts her arms straight up in a perfect line, parallel to the floor, and breathes.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Peace. Calm. Light. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Her standard mantra; normally used until she can find the correct headspace.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Peace. Calm. Light. Sting.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>No… wait.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She breathes in again, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Peace. Calm. Burning.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>That eye twitches again. Her arms are already beginning to ache a bit from holding them in such a severe position. She needs to get back into her training regimen; move through her forms until the strength returns to her body. In the meantime, though…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the meantime…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the meantime, she needs to get this stuff OFF!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shoves her arms under the faucet in the overlarge sink. This thing is like a trough. It must be to accommodate some larger guests and their expansive hands, and she will be eternally grateful for it. Squeegee-ing the yellow muck into the porcelain below, she’s pleased to see it flecked with threads of hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Thank you, murder-sludge,</span>
  </em>
  <span> she grumps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her skin looks </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>blotchy – but it worked. It actually worked! She’s completely smooth, wrist to shoulder, and she marvels at the uniqueness of it. Still a bit tender, she traces her fingertips over herself in wonder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is… strange… and silky. She can’t help but feel a little devious, imagining how much Ben will like it; giddy that he’s none the wiser. She bites her lips to stifle a grin while fantasizing a sort of, ‘Baby – you did all this </span>
  <em>
    <span>for me? </span>
  </em>
  <span>All this suffering </span>
  <em>
    <span>for me? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Oh, sweetheart, let me kiss that pain away…’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She giggles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking down at her legs, she glances at the cream again and grimaces.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Nope. Not using that again. NEXT.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She eyes her other implements of destruction. Razors. Ben used to shave his face with razors before he went for the ‘Jedi Master Ren’ look – which she likes </span>
  <em>
    <span>a lot.</span>
  </em>
  <span> She picks up the pink hilt and lets it glint a bit in the fluorescent light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitting back down on the cool ‘fresher floor, she lines up her leg, heel firmly placed. She narrows her eyes and thinks about the best way to make this work. Cocking her head to the side, she considers for only a moment before shrugging and just deciding to go for it. The razor descends, angling towards her skin, and raking up it roughly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Totally and completely dry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No water. No suds. No foam. Just scuffing metal against skin.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To say that it hurts is wrong. To say that her skin begins to flake in flecks of white death is more accurate. Still… a patch of thatch has been sheared off. Looking at the blade, it’s stuffed with little prickles and she feels satisfied.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not knowing that she’s doing it wrong, she just scrapes it up again. And again, ankle to kneecap. Let's allow her to repeat this for a few more swipes in peace – until we hear her hiss a curse.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yup. Her leg now sports a nice gash that runs prettily down her shin. The razor is caked with dead skin, black hair, and a bit of red.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>perfect,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she mutters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought to rinse out the junk that’s now stabbed between the blades never occurs to her; she thinks she needs a full replacement – but that’s not in her sister-wife-care-kit. “Ugh!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The razor clatters as it ricochets off the tile – Rey having flung it quite forcefully (no pun intended). Admiring her bleeding, she notes that, other than a patch or two, she’d mostly gotten the job done. Up to her knee, anyway. Frowning at the scab that’s already starting to glob up, she decides that the next leg will be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>different </span>
  </em>
  <span>method.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rasi, if this is your idea of a joke, I’m going to neuter you,” she mumbles to no one.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laser treatments, he’d said. He’d also said he couldn’t get her what she needed for that – but, ha! She grabs her saber hilt with a mischievous grin and flips it in the air, letting it do a nice 360 before slapping back down into her palm.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Why would people go through something so dangerous, just for fashion?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>‘And Hygiene,’ the ghost voice of Ciel rings in her mind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a sigh, she flicks on the blade and lets it hum to life. It’s so big, and her leg is so small. She looks back and forth between the two warily, hoping that she’s got enough control not to lob her leg off. Thinking of Master Luke’s cybernetic hand, she shudders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s awkward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To get a sense of it, reader, why don’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> try? Hold something like that in your hand, angle your wrist, consider the weight and length of the blade... and try not to lose a limb.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The saber’s heat nears her skin and her teeth are grit, tensely.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Stupid. This is So. Stupid.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>An ecstatic adrenaline rushes through her when she sees (and smells) the hair start to wilt and char under the heat of her blade.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ha! Take that HAIR! Take… that…</span>
  </em>
</p><p><em><span>“SKIN!” </span></em><span>she screeches, thumbing off the blade and flinging the hilt away like it’s a monster. Pain throbs and her eyes water. Glancing at herself, there is a nice, large welt</span> <span>blooming on her shin. A blister-burn, complete with a puffy white set of bubbles.</span></p><p>
  <span>She tips her chin to the sky and whines out the most pitiful sound.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bacta…” she steadies herself emotionally and uses the Force to call over her toiletry bag. She always keeps a stash of miracle bacta. It’s not a huge stash, but it’s enough to help with any moderate gouges that may come along with a day’s work.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pours the whooooole thing on her leg, grunting when the light weight of it presses on her wound, but sighing in relief once the numbness kicks in and the healing starts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ahh, the wonders of bacta.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She narrows her eyes meanly and turns in the direction of her saber. As if it were its fault, somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, this leg is a bust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She leans back on her elbows and sighs, which directs her eye-line at her undies. The undies that house that tiny puff of fluff under the fabric. She winces, just thinking about the potential disaster here… but then she looks at her silky, blotchy, hairless arms. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>raw potential </span>
  </em>
  <span>of what could become of her ‘downstairs’, if she only had the balls to go through with it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cream? Absolutely not, Gods help her. Anything burning down there would be tragic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Razor? That has outlived its usefulness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Saber? She can’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>believe </span>
  </em>
  <span>she had been so stupid.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That leaves the wax.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She lifts herself up again, her burned leg a numb pleasantness now, and reviews the instructions.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Humming to herself for a moment, she absentmindedly reads out, “…Strips come pre-loaded and will heat instantly once the clear coating is removed from the wax pad. Pull skin area taught and press pad down, waiting at least thirty seconds before firm removal.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She angles the package back and forth to look for anything else. There are simple pictures of patches being placed on a leg but, well… she looks at the remaining leg to remove hair from and decides to give it a break for a bit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Laying back against the cool tile, she lifts her hips and strips herself bare, ‘Ooh’ing, ‘Ahh’ing at the feel of her personal parts against the frigid flooring.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, the wax heats, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She spreads her knees as wide as she can and stares at her little scruff. She tugs at it with pinched fingers while sporting a pinched expression. Picking up a wax strip, she peels off the transparent film and shoots it a reprimanding look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Now, listen. You stick on like a good boy, and you peel off like a good boy, and I don’t want any trouble.” She nods gruffly at it, only slightly unhinged.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She reaches to the lowest part of her undercarriage and pokes her tongue out in concentration. Pulling something hairy into a firm stretch, she sets the wax strip, pressing it down. It’s… warm… and nice, really. Kind of an </span>
  <em>
    <span>interesting </span>
  </em>
  <span>sensation. She lifts her eyebrows at the sort of sensuality of having something so warm down there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She peels the next strip and starts again. Up and up and up, setting strips from the back to the front of her, every bit of hair covered in that heated bliss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A hint of mischievousness flutters its way into her heart, and she opens the bond a tiny bit. Ever so tiny; juuuuuust enough to let him feel some of this pleasurable heat singing its way through her core.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His attention is </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediate.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Biting her lower lip to stifle a giggle, she’s more than happy to tease him. He’s in meetings, after all – and he’s done his fair share of distracting </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>during her meetings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The heat is starting to wear off and she idly plucks at the bottom-most patch. The tug itself is a little sexy at first, too – but nothing’s coming off easily. The instructions did say ‘firm removal’, though. She hooks her fingers, pinches hard, yanks... and </span>
  <em>
    <span>YELPS!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben is reeling on his side of the bond, clamoring to understand why his undercarriage just lit up with agony.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, Ben – Ben I’m sorry… I just… DON’T COME HERE, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she roars at him in her shame. </span>
  <em>
    <span>DON’T YOU DARE COME HERE, BEN SOLO!</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And she cuts him off again, whimpering slightly and looking at the wax strip which is now completely black with curlicues. She looks at the strip… then back at her crotch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The strip.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then her crotch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her crotch, which is completely coated in set-and-hardened wax strips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s no way around it. She swallows hard, realizing that they all still have to… come off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She and Ben have a large room for high-end clientele. It’s set far and away from other rooms. It’s well insulated and very private.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which is why no one hears her scream her curses at the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ben Solo knows pain. Intense, searing, debilitating pain. He also knows how to fight through it. Crush others with it.</span>
</p><p><span>He does</span><em><span> not </span></em><span>know,</span> <span>however, how to ignore the constant chafing of his sunburned shoulders as he tries to concentrate on the babbling sentient in front of him. The maddening sting of his skin undermines all other rational thought.</span></p><p>
  <span>Bilita Mpash needs to end segregation – but the first step is to understand why it exists in the first place, so he’s listening to a quorum of experts from the different native species. Not surprisingly, each gives the story its own nuance, coloring it in their favor. In one way, it’s fascinating to see the different points of view; especially when you get someone who is used to enthralling others with historical tales of wills and woes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But when you’re subjected to a dry scholar, book-smart and speech-dumb, it’s a special kind of hell.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s this sort of torturous teaching that afflicts him now, which is why, when Rey opens the bond, letting him feel the warmth pool between her legs, she captures his </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediate </span>
  </em>
  <span>attention. He has no idea what she’s doing – only grasping the fact that she’s fairly pleased with herself... and deeply enjoying the feeling she’s sharing with him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A soft sort of arousal blooms in his belly, and he lifts his fingers to stroke his lips in contemplation. Ciel seems completely focused on the speaker in front of them, so perhaps his friend will do him a kindness and recap anything he misses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ahh, Lady Rey, your devoted husband is prepared to give you his utmost concentration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snuggles his mind deeper into their bond as the unknown heat spreads within him. Whatever this is – it’s tantalizing, and all he wants to do is </span>
  <em>
    <span>lean into</span>
  </em>
  <span> this feeling. Which is why, when that soft place between her legs Flares With Pain, he YELPs harshly while his private parts beg for mercy on her behalf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>All faces turn in his direction; he’s leaned back and gasping in his seat, gloved fingers clamped so severely on the arms of his chair that they groan under the pressure.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Idana in front of him swallows, blinking, “Sire?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’d respond, but he’s too busy being mentally rejected by his wife to pay attention. She still has yet to grasp one thing – Ben Solo doesn’t like being told what to do… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And rejection only eggs him on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben is up and out of his seat in mere seconds. Another voice calls out a confused, “Sire?!” but all he can do is storm out of the room, growling a single sentence:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel a disturbance in the Force.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>To say that he nearly busts their suite’s door open with a cascade of guards behind him would be </span>
  <em>
    <span>technically</span>
  </em>
  <span> accurate – but it’s missing a certain... air of hilarity. In truth, the guards had sped to a half-jog in order to keep up with Ben’s long stride so, when he stops short, they pile into each other with metallic clatters. One falls. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That guy - the one in the back... </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The FFO Monarch is irritated at the need for protection – but, as they still need to look out for assassination attempts at this point, he’ll keep his soldiers nearby. No sneak attacks on what remains of the Solo family, please and thank you.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He is aware, however, that his wife’s vagina isn’t in any immediate danger, so he mindlessly slams the door in their faces before stomping his way into the large living area.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rey!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pauses, hearing a sort of whimper coming from the ‘fresher. Puffing air out of his cheeks in fading annoyance, he heads to the glow of the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s sitting, curled in on herself, wearing just her breast-band and undies. She’s surrounded by… stuff. He blinks at it with no point of reference for what any of it is – especially that fuzzy black pile of squares beside her. There’s a shatter sound under his boot heel and he lifts it sharply to look, finding a razor with a cracked hilt. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyebrows couldn’t pull any further together if they tried. “Whaaaat’s happening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey muffles her words in her own arms. “I told you not to come. I’m fine. Everything’s fine. Fine, fine, </span>
  <em>
    <span>fine-fine-FINE!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Smirking, “So, I’m guessing everything’s fine?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turns towards him with a glare that could melt walls. When she does, he catches a glimpse of a scabbing gash down her leg and approaches her carefully – ready for her to go on the attack. When she doesn’t, he lowers to his knees and wraps his fingers around her ankle, gently tugging her foot into his lap.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a tiny cut, not even worth talking about, but he clucks his tongue at her anyway, sliding his thumbs over…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smoothness?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Patchy smoothness. Lines of silk with little blops of any hair she’d left behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks away defensively. “I wanted to be like the women in the Core.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She half heartedly raises an arm for him to see. The skin is obviously red and rashed but, beneath the chemical burns, they’re smooth as a baby’s backside. He looks at the room again with new eyes, trying to pair canisters with injuries. He touches her blistered welt and she winces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened here?” he asks, hopelessly in love with her foolishness, all the way down to his toes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice is barely audible, “Laser treatment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scoffs, “You didn’t.” His wandering eyes find her saber flung across the room. “Ohhh, you </span>
  <em>
    <span>did!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>And it’s all he can do not to laugh at her. He bites his lip, trying to hold it in, but it’s going to be a losing battle unless he can keep talking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He decides to gently pet the prickles surrounding her saber-bite. “Let me help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinks back, misty-eyed. “How? I either wrecked it all or it’s all used up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben opens his palm and calls over the razor – what remains of it anyway. This abused, misused, disposable mess. Sometimes he can still be surprised by what she’d never learned how to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got this, baby, hold on.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a small grunt, he lifts himself to the sink and starts gathering items. He’d shaved for years before donning his bearded best, so he knows what to do. He pulls together a small bowl filled with water, a soft towel, some foaming soap, and takes a minute to rinse out the horrors she’d crammed between the razor blades. Returning, he plops down cross-legged in front.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He beckons her, “Give. C’mon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still frowning, she gingerly offers her burned leg up for inspection. He wets her, lathers her, and hums to her. He won’t bother explaining his process – it will only irritate her more – so he focuses on moving the pink-hilted sharpness over her, pausing only to rinse and change tunes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Up to the knee or…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks at the other leg, moresely, “Knee, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding and pursing his lips, he keeps at it – giving a wide berth around her bacta drenched boo-boo. When it’s done, he carefully presses a towel to her and switches to the other leg, cleaning up any left-over patches. Smirking to himself, he tilts her thighs apart to see what damage she’d inflicted elsewhere – but she slams them shut, right quick.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“NOT there!” she squeaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He cocks a playful eyebrow at her, “A mess, is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her face blushes, furiously. “I don’t want to talk about it. I… I’ll fix it myself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuckling, he wipes down the other leg, hands over the razor, and stares at her with a suggestive smirk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Glowering at him, she clarifies, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“When I’m alone, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s all grins and eye-twinkles, he knows. As much as she’s irritated, he just wants to smother her with kisses – even though it will only earn him a knee to the crotch. He settles for a single smooch to her forehead. “You’ll do better, next time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice raises an octave. “Next time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He blinks at her, “You know – when it grows back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes widen into moons. “It grows back?!” Her innocent face blinks up at him, utterly horrified. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yup, there goes his laughter. And it doubles in urgency, as well, when he sees a throbbing vein of aggravation in her temple. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He’s laughing at her. That bastard is actually laughing at her! THIS is why she didn’t want him here! Her frown is so tight, she feels it in her </span>
  <em>
    <span>jowls.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He wraps her in his arms and tucks his hysterical face into the crook of her neck, letting her feel his grin and the hitching of his shoulders. The loud bursts of his joy have settled into shaking snicker-snorts and she rolls her eyes at him, unseen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stupid Ben. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She shifts her legs to change position and feels their silkiness drag over each other, completely altering her train of thought. Her ‘Stupid Ben’ came and rescued her from self-destruction, just like always. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ahh, she can’t help it! Even when she’s annoyed, she adores him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he trembles with stifled laughter, she wraps her arms around his back, smiling and settling into his ridiculousness. This stoic, angry, mess of a man who hides such a patient, loving, silliness inside him… he’s all hers. Always, forever, and only hers. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Take </span>
  <em>
    <span>that, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rasi.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now – about getting him to kiss that sting away…</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Advantages of Fighting Naked (Too Many Man Parts)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p><p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun.  </p><p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header. </p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <br/>
</p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p>
  <b>Tags:</b>
  <span> Crack treated seriously, Funny (I hope), Canon Typical Violence, Nudity. Lots and lots of nudity. And penis jokes. </span>
</p><p>
  <b>Time:</b>
  <span> A1D (After First Death)</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Where: </b>
  <span>Dho – The Desert planet (FFO)</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“What we have here… is a </span>
  <em>
    <span>failure to communicate.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ciel rubs his palms over his face in annoyance. “I think this is a bit overkill, don’t you?”           </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn watches Ciel’s exasperated expression for a second before turning to face Rey, then Ren. Four of them. FOUR – all to catch one elusive cell of ex-trooper hunters. He gestures at himself, self-righteously. “Hey – I have every right to be here, this is </span>
  <em>
    <span>my mission request!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Besides, I thought it was just me and wonder-braid, here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You sent the comm as a group blast. I thought </span>
  <em>
    <span>she </span>
  </em>
  <span>was busy, so I came.” Ren looks at his wife with no small amount of annoyance. “You were supposed to be tied up in the Core.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rolls her eyes, putting her hands on her hips. “And </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>were supposed to be picking up new kids, so I figured it was up to me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel grumbles, “And I only came because you both were </span>
  <em>
    <span>supposed to be busy. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Why the hell didn’t one of you report in to pick up the job, if you wanted it so bad? Plus, this is, what, like a ‘level 5’ on the bad guy difficulty scale? Having even one of you here is overkill; this is below your pay grade.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn tosses him a look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Having completely ignored anything Ciel said, the not-so-Darksider defends himself to his wife, “I collected </span>
  <em>
    <span>three </span>
  </em>
  <span>children, thank you very much. Each from entirely different worlds, I might add. A six, a twelve, and a five-year old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grimacing, Finn can’t help but add, “That’s really young, Ren.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in dark blue stretches up to his full height and crosses his arms, working his jaw, sadly. “That’s why I’m doing this. They need… protection. Understanding. I don’t want more kids abandoned because their idiot parents are too afraid of their connection to the Force. Like </span>
  <em>
    <span>Rà.</span>
  </em>
  <span> Like...” he trails off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They all know that what follows in his mind is: ‘Like me.’ </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She softens. “Rà will help them transition in – the younger ones, anyway. You know he’s really good with that age group. We’ll keep them </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe</span>
  </em>
  <span> – plus, that woman you found to run the place is perfect. I know that she’s going to love each and every one of them.” She threads her arm through his and rests a head on his shoulder.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren leans over to kiss her hair, sighing heavily into her. “I think so, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hands on his hips, Ciel scoffs. “Whoever would want that many goddamned kids is beyond me.” He switches to waving his hands in front of their faces to get their attention. “So – who goes home here? This is a tiny job. Too many cooks in the kitchen.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey bounces up and down a little, making Finn’s lips twitch in amusement. “Oh! Let’s do Team Jedi! We haven’t done that for awhile!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel flaps his hands against his sides. “Okay. I’m the odd man out, then – fine.” He turns back towards his ship (one of the four), and mutters under his breath, “Waste of a trip…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t you stay with us?” Finn can’t help but ask. He cocks his hips and nods in Ciel’s direction. “You can be our fourth team member.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snorts, “Don’t you have to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Jedi </span>
  </em>
  <span>for that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Meh.” Finn shrugs. “Let’s call you a… Jedi advocate. That’s enough for me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey and Ren shrug and nod their agreement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel thinks for a few seconds… well… </span>
  <em>
    <span>pretends </span>
  </em>
  <span>to think, anyway. He makes a big show of relenting, as if it’s some kind of burden – but Finn knows he just made the man’s ego throb with joy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure – okay – fine. It’s not like I didn’t plan on being here anyway.” He sniffs at himself and takes a heroic pose. Idiot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, Finn’s pretty pleased – giddy, even. Four key players in the Galactic community are coming down here to whoop ass on some trooper-hunters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Time to set an example.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Finn’s first thought when he peeks around the corner is: </span>
  <em>
    <span>This isn’t how it’s supposed to be…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of burly, well armored men, there are… women. Scantily clad, too hot in the sun, fanning themselves cool while glistening with sweat, incredibly </span>
  <em>
    <span>sexy</span>
  </em>
  <span> women.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With blasters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Big blasters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn grunts as Ciel elbows him roughly in the side, leaning over his shoulder to whisper in his ear. “Careful there, lover boy, or I’m gonna tell your girlfriend.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He goes to wave the man away but isn’t looking properly, so he just succeeds in giving him a curt set of knuckles to the nose by accident. Ciel hisses and Finn panics, murmuring, “Sorry, sorry, sorry!” before he feels Ren’s large hand cover his entire face and push him away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough of that,” he intones, low and nearly silent.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey blinks, matching her husband’s level of quiet. “What’s happening?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel, whose face is smothered by Ren’s other hand, mutters out a nasal, “Hormones. And probably a good dose of sexism.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s eyes are so innocent and wide, Finn’s not entirely sure that she knows what those words mean. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling the overlarge hand off his face in short order, Finn narrows his eyes and shoves his tongue into his cheek in irritation. Ciel eyes peek around Ren’s other set of fingers, and glint with mischief. Waving his dark digit in the soldier’s direction, Finn’s internal monologue warns, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t you dare </span>
  </em>
  <span>– but the soldier pays him no mind.</span>
</p><p><span>Ciel enlightens her, “Finn could storm in with guns blazing on some ugly men – but not on ladies he’d rather </span><em><span>thrust </span></em><span>into</span> <span>than </span><em><span>shoot </span></em><span>into, if you catch my meaning.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Rey’s face goes completely red as she shoots a horrified look in his direction. Good old Master Ren just quirks his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Leaning in, wanting to defend his honor, Finn ratchets up before he remembers that they have to be quiet – stay hidden – so he just shakes his head repeatedly and way too fast. Ciel snickers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In hushed tones, Ren muses, “So we don’t go in guns-blazing. We three distract, and Rey can disable.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel and Finn shrug in tandem, their meaning quite clear. ‘How?’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A smile on the large man’s face blooms like a goddamned flower. “Have you ever fought naked?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The color drains out of Finn’s face, he’s sure of it, and the rest of them look at Ren like he’s crazy. He just spreads his hands and shrugs, like it’s the best idea in the world and they’re stupid for not seeing it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Whispering, he continues. “We don’t even have to fight. Just walk up, distract them, probably embarrass them, and then take them down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel rolls his eyes. “You’ve done this before, haven’t you?” but Ren doesn’t bother responding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s horrified, “What if they get... interested in you guys. Try to touch you? Like – </span>
  <em>
    <span>that way?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren rolls his eyes at her as if she’s foolish – which she is. He’d rather throw the women into walls than let one of them touch him. </span>
</p><p><span>Ciel follows up with, “What if they’re </span><em><span>not </span></em><span>interested?</span> <span>What if they don’t swing that way?”</span></p><p>
  <span>It’s Finn’s turn to be horrified now. “What? You think Rey should-?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he doesn’t get too far; both Ciel </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ren baff him off the back of the head, nearly knocking him over. He grits his teeth. “Sometimes I </span>
  <em>
    <span>hate </span>
  </em>
  <span>you guys – you know that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren leans in conspiratorially, “All we have to do is get them off their guard so they don’t call in for help before we can get close. Once Rey has snuck up behind, she can use the Force to pin them down – then we incapacitate them and work our way inside.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Incapacitate. Finn nods somberly in understanding, knowing that Ren’s the most strategic of them all, and also knowing that this approach makes sense. Less risk. Potentially less loss of life. Even so, he can feel a hot flush of blood rush to his cheeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This means Rey will see him naked… </span>
  <em>
    <span>all of them </span>
  </em>
  <span>naked. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel scoffs. “Too many man-parts out and about for my taste.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey puts her hands over her face in embarrassment.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>This is a bad idea. BadIdeaBadIdeaBadIdea.</span>
</p><p><span>Finn grits his teeth, </span><em><span>“I</span></em> <em><span>hate this,” </span></em><span>as he stands awkwardly in his own body – somehow unsure of what to do with his arms.</span></p><p>
  <span>Rey already snuck herself away and to the rear of the gateway. Now she just has to wait for the sexy Amazons to lose their concentration once they’re unexpectedly presented with three swinging dongs. </span>
  <span>Just thinking about it, even </span>
  <em>
    <span>Finn</span>
  </em>
  <span> is distracted. </span>
  <span>Especially when he sees the other males from behind.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn basically, “Eeps!” and Ren turns over his shoulder, snorting at him. Ciel’s expression tries to look stern and bad-ass, but he is red all the way from his chest to his ears as he stares, fixated, up at the sky.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Quietly, Ren starts teasing. “You act like you’ve never seen one before.” He rolls his shoulders and cracks his neck, not bothered in the least. “Just focus on not getting shot.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey had taken all their weapons and belts – boots and comm bracelets. They are all One Hundred Percent Naked... and Finn thinks he might die of shame. </span>
  <span>Ren grabs his arm to move him away from the rock that he’s absolutely not hiding behind, exposing his lower regions to the cool of the wind. He “Eeps!” again, and gets shoved towards the path they need to go down, feet stuttering over the sandy and rocky terrain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just walk,” Ren orders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn grumbles. “We should have at least kept our </span>
  <em>
    <span>shoes.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Still zeroed-in on a fluffy cloud, Ciel asks a whispered, “How are we playing this?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren whaps Finn’s back as if his wang weren’t four inches from Finn’s rear. “You’re good at being drunk. Let’s play it like that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smacking him away, Finn thinks back when he caught Ren in a </span>
  <em>
    <span>compromising position,</span>
  </em>
  <span> basically dry humping his sheets while having a shared-and-dirty-dream with his best friend. Face flaming with heat, Finn decides that, yes – he</span>
  <em>
    <span> is</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to die of shame. That’s one piece of manhood he refuses to even glance at.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel grins. “Well, then – let’s get going, ladies.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn reiterates, “I </span>
  <em>
    <span>hate </span>
  </em>
  <span>this!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“PFFFFFT!” Ciel extends the sound like it’s the only thing his mouth can do and wraps a bare arm around Finn’s shoulders, leaning on him obscenely before laughing in a pretend blatt. Finn’s lips pull into an angry scowl, feeling the sweaty skin from this pale-ass spacer stick against his. Why the hell does everyone keep touching him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They lumber as a team through the boulders around them. Ciel starts singing softly… and then </span>
  <em>
    <span>louder</span>
  </em>
  <span> about some woman from Chalindra whose legs were like ‘Tindah’ in a fake and heavily accented voice. ‘Jedi Master Ren’ is stoic, as always, but puts on a good show of looking stumbly – and angry about it. </span>
  <span>Finn guesses he likes to stay in character.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they come out from behind the last of the rock faces, naked as the day they were born, they meet a trio of heavy blasters already pointed straight at them. Ciel (the idiot) sings on like nothing matters. Finn squeals like a girl and tries to cover himself. Ren, however, just looks the women up and down in a way that might be either a threat-assessment or mate assessment. If Rey could see him, she’d likely try to murder him... again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The women’s mouths drop open in sync, jaws nearly hitting their collarbones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wh-wha…?” one stammers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“LADIES!” Ciel waves at them with one large swoop of his arm, shifting himself away from Finn and taking a few stumbly steps in their direction before halting and twirling back to face his friends, “And GUUUNS!” he reports, cheerfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As if reminded, the Amazons click their teeth closed and raise their rifles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who the hell are you?” one demands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn feels the blood drain from his face, cupping himself with both hands and praying that they either didn’t look or – if they did – that they were impressed by what they saw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren keeps his arms crossed and rocks unsteadily on his feet in a way that kind of swings his hips toward them suggestively. “Wha?” he asks. Gesturing down at himself, as if they hadn’t quite noticed, “You gonna shoot me for being naked? And enormous?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And drunk?!” the soldier adds, with glee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel “pffffffffts” and Ren “pfffffffts” back at him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn feels like he doesn’t know where he went wrong in life. Stammering, he spits out, “We lost a bet – th-then we just… I dunno – got </span>
  <em>
    <span>lost… </span>
  </em>
  <span>Where are we? Where’s the nearest town? And… clothes…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The tallest one, a striking brunette with golden skin lowers her weapon again and… laughs. Finn continues to cover himself, clandestine, hoping that she’s not laughing at his body. He’s not as buff as the other two – but his manhood is… comparable! He thinks. Maybe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One keeps her weapon trained on them, eyes narrowed and mouth set in a firm line, but the last of the three sets her rifle up against her shoulder, completely standing down, and grins at them like they’re all fools.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hullo, boys!” she calls out, whistling at them in appreciation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren steps behind Ciel and shoves him forward, playfully, his feet kicking up dust in the sand. “Go make friends.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey! Hey now!” the soldier stumbles towards the ladies, giving his best friend a dirty look. “Don’t be an asshole!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giggling, the golden-skinned one looks back at the others. “Aww, will you listen to the mouth on him!?” She steps forward, weapon totally lowered, eyes scanning down the the older man’s body.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though Finn can see the back of Ciel’s neck is totally red with embarrassment, his posture shows none of it. Instead, he flicks his braid over his shoulder. “A pretty lady like you? You can listen to my mouth on parts of your body, if you’d prefer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Two of the women “Oooooh,” at him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn looks at Ren in a panic, clutching his testicles like they’re falling off, but the other man refuses to look in his direction. He’s eyeing the one still holding her weapon at the ready while he puts on a good show of being out of it, rocking on the balls of his feet.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Voice entirely too high, Finn repeats the well-scripted, “Is there a town or something nearby or…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or a bed we can fall into, sweetheart?” Ciel coos.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is gross. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>gross. No wonder Ren’s always warning him about diseases.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The one with her blaster up cocks it, and the whine of it charging cuts the ‘pleasant’ mood.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren tsks at her. “No need for that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The woman aims directly at him. “Yeah? And who’s gonna stop me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren’s lips tick up in the corners. “My wife.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And with that, the woman’s head lolls to the side and she drops straight to the ground. Rey stands over her with her fingers splayed, having knocked the woman into a dead faint. Before the others even have a chance to turn around, Ren’s hand goes up and his fingers crook; the ladies start making little grunting sounds and seem to twitch, but Finn knows better – they’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>struggling.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren purrs, “Ciel?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No cameras I can see, boss. I think this place is a temporary base. Not a lot of infrastructure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rey?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“On it,” she grumps, irritated at being told what to do, and summons bindings from whatever pile of crap she’d hauled in this direction.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finn, check them for comms.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But…” Finn swallows. That would mean he has to let it swing in front of Rey.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Finn…” Ren warns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FINE! Gods!” He walks awkwardly up to one of the women held tight by the Force. He almost wants to mumble an, ‘I’m sorry’, but these women are trooper-hunters – so this is the nicest they get from him. He looks her over. Glosses her over, really.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Finn.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>A soft bark this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s voice wavers for a beat, but strengthens after only a few words. “It’s fine, Finn – really. I’m… looking at the ground or something. I don’t want to see it, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which hurts his feelings. I mean – he loves Jannah to the moon and back. Never wants to be with another woman. Probably will ask her to marry him soon. BUT! If a woman was walking around bare chested, he’d want to see it. It’s just plain curiosity! Like – if Rey was walking around bare…</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“FINN!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ren hisses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get out of my </span>
  <em>
    <span>head, </span>
  </em>
  <span>damnit!” he retorts, dropping his nuts and searching the woman properly. He pulls out a device embedded in her shoulder pocket and another tucked into the bralette under her thin shirt. Disarming her for good measure, he takes blades from her hip sheathe and one from her inner thigh. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Please don’t let me get an erection. Please, for the love of the Gods, please don’t let me get an erection.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren snorts, and Finn’s angry enough to spit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He makes sure the comms aren’t sending signals and moves to the next woman. Her eyes are like slits as she grits her teeth, unable to speak, but he does his best to ignore her gaze. Fumbling around, he finds a device at her waist and another tucked into her boot; he kicks her blaster away for the hell of it, as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a huff and a curt nod, Ren says, “Thank you for your time, ladies,” and releases his grip on them. They cascade to the ground in unconsciousness, long hair splaying over the rocky terrain. He sighs with a frown. “Who carries them back the ship and who comes for the interior assault?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We could just leave them here,” Ciel shrugs. “Hog-tie them and let them wait.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pursing his lips, Ren shakes his head. “Better to remove them from sight. If we extract the other hunters, seeing their colleagues like that would probably rile them up again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a heavy sigh, Rey dusts off her hands as she works herself into a stand. “I’ll take them. I need someone to help carry – but there’s no way I’m leaving them alone with any of youuuAHH! I’M SORRY, I’M SORRY!” </span>
  <span>She’d looked at them in error and now has her face buried in her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn cups his nether regions again, blushing and biting his lips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a giggle, Ciel offers, “Okay, Miss Rey, where’d you stash the gear? I’ll get some pants on and help you lug the ladies. We’ll secure them on her ship – ok, boss?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey grits her teeth. “Why not ask me? I’m right here you know. Right. Here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The soldier just shrugs at her. “But you’re not my boss.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She uncovers her face to glare at him and Ciel lifts his eyebrows when her eyes catch lower, first. It’s less than a second before Rey’s palms are over her eyes, again. “GODS! I’m never going to unsee that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nope!” Ciel pops his ‘p’ sound. “Try not to dream about it, though. You’ll get me in trouble at work.” He tosses a wink in Ren’s direction. The other man is annoyed, but lets it go. He knows what Finn does. Despite Ciel’s big talk – he’s sweating buckets in raw tension. Someone isn’t as comfy as he’s pretending to be. Maybe he’s not… comparable. Size-wise. Finn looks down at Ciel’s nether regions and actually regards him appraisingly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then SNAPS. HIS. EYES. UP. when he realizes what he’s doing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yep. Comparable. Damnit. He’ll never unsee that, either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll go with her.” Ren cuts in. “I’ll leave you ex-troopers to take out this hunter garbage, hmm? We’re ‘overkill’, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s returned to lashing unconscious arms together with rope. “Yeah, what, you gonna put your ship on autopilot and ride home with me, too? I don’t need a babysitter,” she mocks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You don’t want me to?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>God, he’s such a kid. Pathetic. All needy and shining eyes. There’s a heavy beat of him staring at her and her expression changing based on whatever interior conversation they’re having. She finally cracks a smile and visibly gives in, agreeing to… whatever...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grin turns somehow dangerous. “Dirty play, Master Rey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her voice drops to something sultry that prickles Finns’ skin. “Ohhh, you haven’t seen me play dirty, yet. But, if you’re a good boy, then I’ll-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ew!” Ciel yells. “Ew! Ew! Ew! Audience, children – keep in mind you have a small audience!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blushes, but refuses (smartly) to lift her head again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn continues his frown. “Can I have my clothes back, now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The soldier grins at him wickedly. “What’s that? Trash Man can’t handle a little dick-in-the-air action?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn thinks he hears Rey cough on her own spit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Cuz I can,” the older man plays with his rattail braid. “Seems to work like a charm in throwing people off their game. Gave us a nice advantage. If the other hunters in there are ladies – well, then...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ren adds, “It’s a good distraction for humanoid males, too. Everyone’s natural instinct is to compare themselves, so they don’t react right away.” With a quick smirk he can’t help but say, “I always feel their envy before they switch to fight mode.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel snorts, looking back at Finn. “What do you say – think you can inspire some envy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He shouldn’t take the bait. He shouldn’t. But – Ciel is that friend who always gets you into trouble by convincing you to do stupid stuff… and Finn has the scars to prove it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fine. I’m in. But I want my saber.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel cocks an eyebrow, “You need more than one, Trash Man?” and looks down, taking stock of Finn’s… equipment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s cough becomes a choke.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Finn holds his hilt in a death grip, but not because he’s scared. It’s because it’s cold enough in this cave system that he’s experiencing major shrinkage, and shame is creeping up his spine. He’s only got the saber to take his stress out on; no belts means no blasters, just two hands on his hilt. Just pecs and abs and schlongs, oh my. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel had lifted one of the ladies’ enormous, rifle-size blasters for himself. Finn would joke that he’s compensating for something… but that would be a lie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sneak around the interior of the base’s entrance, their friends having taken the Amazon women back to the guild. The aim is to get them stripped of their hunter status for going against ‘the creed’. Finn has to admit, it’s a pretty good one, as creeds go. In a way, they’re more respectable and communal than he would have thought. </span>
  <span>When they haven’t gone rogue, anyway. </span>
  <span>The real question is: have these hunters gone astray or is someone actually paying out on these bounties? Maybe Ren and Rey can solve that mystery while carting the ladies to wherever, instead of just shagging the whole way. They have a tendency to do that if no one holds them in check. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn decides not to get his hopes up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel sticks out a hand to hold him back from a rumble of noise he was too lost in thought to hear. Around the cavern twist is a harsh spotlight and the sounds of male laughter. There is the chatter of talking, but it’s too dim to hear what they’re saying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The soldier looks at him, expectantly, and Finn breathes in slowly through his nose. Rey’s teaching him to do this – but he’s not the best at it, yet. Still, he settles himself, ignoring the chill, and opens his mind; concentrating. Eventually, he gestures with his fingers – four. He can sense </span>
  <em>
    <span>four </span>
  </em>
  <span>others around the bend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel nods and grins, mouthing the words, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Piece of cake.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Smirking for the first time since this fiasco began, Finn agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You said there were only FOUR!” Ciel screams as he ducks behind another jut in the rockface, leaning out to let off a few more blasts before pulling away again, barely avoiding getting shot, himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I NEVER SAID I WAS GOOD AT THIS!” Finn calls back, standing out in front of the seven remaining hunters. He’s doing his best to focus and twirl his saber blade to knock laser bolts away – but </span>
  <em>
    <span>sucks </span>
  </em>
  <span>at it. Pings shoot up towards the ceiling, raining debris down on him and crusting his hair up with cave dust. He can feel his manhood pinwheel with his every action, and it’s goddamned distracting!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A person he assumes is the leader holds up a hand and the firing ceases. Their nudity had done them enough good to let them pick off the first six who attacked them… so, yeah… at least there was that. Finn wonders if he caused any envy before his c-word helicoptered in front of them all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The leader smiles as he asks, “Where’d you get a lightsaber, friend? I doubt you had the balls to steal it</span>
  <em>
    <span>… </span>
  </em>
  <span>after all, I’m looking at your balls right now – and I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> impressed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel blatts a, “Ha!” from behind his outcropping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gritting his teeth, Finn reminds his friend, “I hate you,” to which the soldier blows him kisses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look – that jerkface behind the corner and I – we’re ex-troopers, and we don’t take kindly to hunters taking out our people,” Finn states, plainly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bad guy relaxes his posture, his smile deepening. “Oh, yeah – I thought I recognized you. You're that Reintegration General, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn nods his head side to side, bashfully, shrugging a little at his own fame and quirking his lips; feeling his oats, if you will. Which is why he doesn’t react fast enough when he hears the leader call out, “Take him!” and more beams ping his way. </span>
  <span>One snags him in the leg, right across his inner thigh and he yelps, going down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Seriously!?” is all Ciel yells as he twists out from his hiding spot and opens fire. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His accuracy scores are still off the charts and he takes their assailants down like tin cans in target practice. Sometimes he aims for dominant hands – other times he aims for more vital bits… but the naked soldier is giving the hunters a run for their money as he strafes to the side to stand in front of Finn, who’s waggling his saber back and forth in the hopes of saving his own skin without shearing his own legs off in the process.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t you dare burn my ass, you goddamned-“ but Ciel doesn’t complete the thought, he just triggers again until the leader drops to his knees and the others pause to look on in shock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We done yet?” Ciel pants, adrenaline hyping him up. “You gonna come quietly now, or are you gonna bleed out on the floor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn disengages his blade and yanks himself up to a limping stand, stepping out from behind his friend to add to the hostile intimidation as much as possible, despite the wound throbbing next to his junk.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The leader, pinged clean across his ribs, drops his weapon and lifts his hands. “No bounty is worth dying for.”  Creed rule number one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel nods and Finn breathes in a sigh as other weapons start dropping.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I guess I was wrong, General. I guess you have balls after all,” the leader smirks through his pain. “Unless I shot them off.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn laments several of his life’s choices.  </span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rey had left their gear in front of the entrance, the saint. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clothed, thankfully, he and Ciel march their new friends back up toward where their ships are tucked away. The mood is somber after leaving a good portion of hunters to rot in the cavern. The rest had admitted to going rogue, and will be carted back to the guild to be handled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They shove their captees into Finn’s ship, and Rey directs him to where they’re bringing the others. He’s going to completely ignore the breathless, high pitch he heard in her voice as they arranged their rendezvous. What the hell was Ren </span>
  <em>
    <span>doing </span>
  </em>
  <span>to her? They’re like rabbits, he swears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hunters safely stowed, he and Ciel say their goodbyes and congratulate themselves on a job well done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Take care of that leg, hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, yeah,” Finn agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hugging it out, “And practice your goddamned saber skills.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finn grumbles and pats his horrible friend on the back, “Shut up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They pull away and work their ways to their transports. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And, Finn?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns over his shoulder. “Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel grins smugly and nods. “You’ve got a good dick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And what the hell do you say to that?</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was prompted by our good friend MorphoBlueTravels. In fact! I still need prompts! Each chapter will occur on a different FFO planet, and I still need ideas for the following: </p><p>Ashtananne - Fire planet<br/>Yhdeksan - Cyborgs and Religious Naturalism<br/>En - ½ covered in Radiation poisoning</p><p>If you have a crack/fluff ideas that can happen on these planets - you give me a, “HOLLA!”</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Embarrassing Heroism (The Wins and Woes of Vious)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p><p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3 </p><p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <br/>
</p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p><b>Tags: </b>Crack treated seriously, Funny (I hope), Unrequited Love, Poop (Yes. Poop. Funny Poop.)</p><p><b>Time: </b>A2D, BS (After Second Death, Before Starlight) </p><p><b>Flashbacks to: </b>BT (Before Trial)</p><p><b>Where: </b>Nelja</p><p><b>Notes: </b> FYI – there is only a <em> tiny bit </em> of Jedi Master Ren in this story, showcasing his Monarch days pre-trial. But, otherwise? It’s Ciel and Vious. If you’re not into them, you can skip this one… even though I like this chapter. &lt;3   (I’m biased)</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>It’s sad, really.</p><p>Ciel looks over at the slightly green Toydarian female who holds vigil over Vious’ statue. The construction is near complete and she’s been there every moment of it, still as stone, dawn to dusk. For <em> days. </em>He knows that it’s their mourning ritual – and the Gods know he had a certain vice when it came to mourning – but it’s like he’s watching her wither, day by day.</p><p>Tomorrow, her ritual completes. Taking it to this level of practice is normally reserved for pair-bonded mates. He can only imagine how her <em> real </em>mate must feel about this, and his heart goes out to him, wherever he is.</p><p>Ciel’s supposed to leave her alone, let her reflect on her stories of love and feelings of loss – but he’s not very good at upholding customs, sometimes. It pisses Naba off. The Council gives him a pass because of his standing in the system, and he likes to take advantage every now and then. His best friend isn’t the only one who likes to cause mischief. </p><p>At least his heart’s in the right place.</p><p>“Hey,” he interrupts; no muss, no fuss.</p><p>She looks at him with – what? Shock? Apprehension? Annoyance? Likely a mix. Still, the soldier presents his gift to her. It’s a small selection of treats he’d known Vious to like. He’s not one for observing rituals, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t pay attention to the Council members.</p><p>She turns away from him, unsure. “I’m, ah, not permitted to eat.”</p><p>“Only if he was your mate,” he says pointedly, but regrets it when he sees her deflate. He’s never felt unrequited love, but it seems to hurt.</p><p>“I – I wish he could have been, yeah? But, because of his wings…” she gestures at her own and trails off, losing herself in thought. After a minute, she comes back to herself. “He lost them because of me, you know.”</p><p>Ciel sighs and sits down beside her, taking a bite of one of the less offensive snacks. “He must have thought you were worth the trouble.”</p><p>A bubble of a tear trickles out of her overlarge eye. “If he hadn’t, <em> I </em>would have been the one who was unmateable. He saved me from that, hmm? Now, I have beautiful children. I have a beautiful husband. A beautiful life.” She snuffles her trunk. “He gave that to me.”</p><p>He wants to be snarky about how her husband must not be <em> that </em>beautiful, considering, but decides not to be an ass about it. He can be tactful, it’s just that he doesn’t always want to be. </p><p>“He was very brave.” Ciel pauses and laughs softly to himself. “I’ve seen him be brave a <em> bunch </em>of times. This,” he gestures at the sculpture in process, “definitely wasn’t the only time he showed what he was made of.”</p><p>She turns to face him then, expression filled with longing. “You have stories?”</p><p>He leans back against the bench, plucking a pink flower from the surrounding bushes. It truly is a nice spot they picked for this. “My fine lady, I’ve got <em> three years </em>of stories.”</p><p>Her lips pull back into a smile and her bottom teeth show under her trunk. Gods, Toydarians are ugly. Still, as Ben would say, ‘To each his own.’ She scoots in close to him, interest oozing off her in droves.</p><p>“You’ll tell me, yeah?”</p><p>He blinks rapidly, unprepared for the ask. Stupid, really. He should have come bearing epics of the wins and woes of Vious. “Uhm… sure. I think I can pick out a couple.” </p><p>He racks his brain, trying to find something suitable – but they’re all… well…</p><p>“I guess – let me start at the beginning.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Zazpi! Who in the name of holy things picked <em> this </em>stupid rock, eh?” Vious waddles through the underbrush, stepping awkwardly over brambles and waving away bugs.</p><p>Ciel breathes in the heady oxygen. Fresh. Perfumed with lilia trees and white blooming messech flowers. The romantic in him is a sucker for the beauty of flowers – not that he gets to experience them much. “Are you kidding? This place is a treasure.”</p><p>Vious slaps at himself. “Tell that to these vicious, murdering, buzzing <em> bloodsuckers, </em>yeah?</p><p>He snorts. “Not feeling this Team Building exercise, are you?” He steps deeper into the rainforest, ducking under lush branches and looking at his scavenger hunt list. All subtle nods go to Miss Rey for this one.</p><p>“Bah! Idiotic Human ritual!” He spits on the ground. “My mama would weep if she saw me doing such ridiculous things.”</p><p>“Welp,” Ciel moves aside some fronds and digs his hand in, searching for the last item: a blue lizard with a lightning zig-zag of red down its back. “There’s not much that works for the whole Council cross-culturally. This was one of the few things no one’s laws or religions forbade. Hell, even the cyborg was game for it, and he’s the one that could rust from all this moisture.”</p><p>Vious clears his throat unpleasantly. “Why do I gotta know these guys any better, anyway? We’ve worked together for <em> years.” </em></p><p>Scoffing, “Yeah, but you didn’t always play nice.”</p><p>Ciel spins as he hears a sort of crashing and crunching behind him, Vious having gone head over heels after catching one of his webbed feet on a root. Sitting on his rump, he huffs, but doesn’t complain. About <em> that </em>anyway.</p><p>“Why am I stuck with you then, huh? You’re <em> new,” </em>Vious grumbles.</p><p>“Because you’re annoying and no one else has the patience for you.”</p><p>A rumble of laugher bubbles up from behind him. “Annoying? Maybe. At least I’m not stupid.”</p><p>“That’s the spirit.” Ciel digs into a knothole in a tree, grimacing as something yucky slithers over his fingers. “If you’re so smart, then help me find this damn reptile before I get poisoned.”</p><p>“You get poisoned, pretty boy, and I’ll leave you out here to rot, huh?”</p><p>Looking at him sardonically, “You say the <em> sweetest </em>things. Don’t make me fall in love.”</p><p>They move along in silence a bit, shuffling and ruffling everything out of the way until Vious makes an odd sort of ‘Oop!’ noise.</p><p>The Toydarian whispers, “Shut up, yeah? Keep your mouth closed and don’t scare it – but I think this is the right one.”</p><p>Spinning slowly, awkwardly, <em> comically, </em>Ciel looks over to observe the little rascal. “Tiny bastard, isn’t it?”</p><p>“And they hibernate in the day, yeah? You sneak, General. My body’s not made for the tiptoes, if you get me.”</p><p>Well his is, so a-tiptoeing he goes. Stalking in, he takes out the canister from his pack. “Five hours little man, we’ve been out here fiiiive hours. You’re the last thing on the list and then we can go get this grumpy old male back to campus.”</p><p>“I’m not grumpy. I just have standards of living.”</p><p>Pffting. “Debutante.”</p><p>A quiet chuckle. “As you know, General, flattery will get you <em> everywhere </em>with me.”</p><p>He hears the smile in his own secretive voice. “Then I guess we’re dating.”</p><p>Ciel gets quiet. Close – he’s so close. The little thing's eyes are closed, and it looks so defenseless that Ciel’s conscience pings, hoping that they’ll release it in the end. He lifts the canister and is only millimeters away. Gods forbid this stupid thing darts right now…</p><p>But that’s exactly what it does.</p><p>Quick as a flash the itsy-bitsy-asshole flings its body out of range, out of sight, but not out of mind, leaving Ciel flailing wildly and jumping to grasp it, despite the futility.</p><p>“AW, COME ON!” the soldier yells, exasperated.</p><p>Vious gestures incredulously. “You. Were. Right. There. Eh!?!? WHY DIDN’T YOU-“</p><p>“BECAUSE THE DAMN THING IS PSYCHIC!”</p><p>“Psychic, BAH! You’re too<em> impati-” </em></p><p>Ciel waggles his finger, “Now – don’t you START on me! You’re utterly <em> useless!” </em></p><p>Vious hoists himself up as high as he can go, which isn’t high. “I’M the one who FOUND IT! I didn’t need to ram my fingers into <em> holes </em> when I have <em> eyes, </em>General!”</p><p>Pissed off now, “That’s right, GENERAL! And I’d expect you to-“</p><p>Then something goes <em> splat, </em> cutting him off and catching their attention. It’s a hefty spatter of brown – and it stinks to high heaven.</p><p>Wary, Ciel utters an articulate, “Uhhh…”</p><p>It’s only then that he hears the mild hooting around them. The pair look up into the branches to see a set of primates winding closer through the treetops. They look pissed, not to put too fine a point on it.</p><p>Whispering idiotically, as if they didn’t already have the creatures’ full attention, Ciel can’t help but state, “These were in the guidebook for local wildlife."</p><p>The reply is just as quiet. “Territorial, yeah? Listed as dangerous.” Ciel can hear the Toydarian swallow, wetly.</p><p>“Well, that’s just great.”</p><p>One of the creatures opens its fanged mouth and hisses at them, menacingly. It shifts one of its humanoid hands backwards, slowly, as if making a very clear point. Once positioned behind its rump, the growling animal spreads its fingers, revealing its palm...</p><p>…and craps in it.</p><p>“You’ve gotta be kidding-“ but the soldier doesn’t get to complete his thought. Gobs of unmentionables fling their way from all angles and patter around them in near-misses.</p><p>Hearing a wild crash of shrubbery, Ciel looks behind him, dodging once out of necessity, to see Vious hobbling as fast as he can through the jungle. His arms are waving up in the air as he waddles, manic in his horror. </p><p>In any other circumstance it would be hysterical. Hell, it’s even hysterical <em> now, </em> but as pieces of shit pummel the ground, Ciel’s in no mood to give into his urge to double over in gales. One thing is clear, they’ve got to vacate the premises immediately, and the tottering Toydarian isn’t made for speed.</p><p>Without asking for permission, Ciel dives toward Vious and hefts him up, tucking him under his armpit like a ball. The male squawks, indignant, but they have no time for this. More of the ape-like things are alighting in the canopy above them; their snarls and hollers ramping up in volume as their numbers multiply.</p><p>On top of those voices is the incessant pitter-pattering of poop that flattens all around them. Disgusting missiles that fall like heavy rain. The soldier balks as he gets tagged in the back but doesn’t bother complaining about it.</p><p>After all, the best part about him is that he’s washable.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“All in all, I was able to get us back to the encampment. We weren’t the last ones, but we definitely weren’t the first either – so a whole host of Council members got to see your buddy being carried like a brown-smeared baby in my arms. It’s that kind of shared humiliation that really brings two people together,” Ciel finishes, smiling at his memory and cracking his knuckles. Pleased with himself, he looks at her…</p><p>...and the horror on her face is overwhelming. Her jaw is dropped to her collarbone and her eyes are blown wide.</p><p>Stuttering, <em> “T-This is how you remember him?!” </em></p><p>Well, damnit. Looks like that didn’t quite hit the mark on that one.</p><p>“I remember him lots of ways! Three years is a long time, you know… I was just… starting with our ‘ice breaker.’ Trying to, sorta, set the stage?”</p><p>She huffs and crosses her arms.</p><p>Ok – let’s try this again…</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p><em> “Who does it think it is, huh?” </em>Vious approaches Master Ren, furious and pointing his finger rudely.</p><p>It always raises Ciel’s hackles any time anyone approaches his friend in this way. Once upon a time, he’d have to react immediately and take out <em> whoever </em> dared be so disrespectful or posed even an <em> inkling </em> of a threat towards his superior officer. Not that Ren can’t take care of himself – but it was the soldier’s duty, one that was hammered into his brain over years of service. The only thing that holds him back now is his Monarch’s barely-showing delight at the irreverence.</p><p>“Now, Councilman Vious, you know very well that it can’t control when it lays its eggs. They’ll come when they come,” Ren chides, mildly.</p><p>The Toydarian snorts. “Yeah, well, it should have thought of that before traveling <em> onto my WORLD, </em>yeah? Starting off on the wrong foot, parenting-wise, no?”</p><p>Ren’s demeanor changes instantly. He becomes so cold that Ciel feels a bubble of tension rise in him. Kylo Ren used this posture and tone right before he’d murder someone.</p><p>“Councilor Tuar travelled to your world at <em> my </em>request. I consider it a great show of respect and duty for it to put itself and its clutch in harm’s way in order to fulfill its leader’s orders.” His eyes are cold and locked on Vious.</p><p>It’s like the damn male doesn’t even notice. He waves his hands in the air in irritation. “Bah! Stupid! Stupid of the <em> Councilor </em> and stupid of <em> you </em>to ask!”</p><p>“Hey!” Ciel barks, meanly, but Ren holds up his hand to hold him at bay.</p><p>The Jedi Master hunches over, bending at his knees to stare Vious directly in the eyes. The aura that comes off him is more than a bit menacing; he still gets that way, sometimes. Especially when people challenge his authority. Old habits die hard, and audible gulp is heard as the Toydarian swallows.</p><p>After a brief stare-down, Ren softens, turning his eyes towards the ceiling in thought. Eventually he sighs. “Haven’t you ever heard of someone who was forced to birth their children at inopportune times? Someone who’s labor started early or late, unexpectedly?”</p><p>Vious snuffles his trunk and looks away, obviously thinking of a scenario along that line.</p><p>Master Ren lifts a heavy hand and pats Vious’ shoulder in a way that seems both sympathetic and commanding. “You <em> will </em>take care of your colleague. You will get it everything it needs for a successful nesting period and you will house it until its young can travel safely.” His comment leaves no room for debate.</p><p>Shrugging with a huff, the male gives in. “Yeah, fine. Whatever, huh? Nelja is fine – I’ll stick it in the lake.”</p><p>Ciel lets out an incredulous sound. Tuar is one of his favorites – and he can’t bear to have it treated that way. Ren’s a mile ahead of him, though, and that heavy hand squeezes the Toydarian just a bit. A not-so-subtle warning. Vious has always been stubborn.</p><p>“I’m sure you realize that won’t suit its needs,” their leader croons, voice deceptively kind.</p><p>Relenting but sarcastic, “Fine! Yes! Fine, okay! It can even stay in my bedroom if it wants, yeah? If that will make you feel any damn better. Eat me out of house and home, too – why not?”</p><p>Ren stands, satisfied. “General Ciel, please see to it that our Councilor Tuar is taken care of while on-world.” He spins on his heels and the sound of his heavy steps clack through the hall. </p><p>Ciel’s left pointing at himself with his jaw dropped. “Me?!”</p><p>“You,” his friend calls over his shoulder with a smirk only he can see, tossing him a wink. Mischievous son-of-a…</p><p>“Hmph!” Vious grumps.</p><p>Casting him an irritated glare. “Hmph, is right. It’s been a rough few days, and all I want to do is <em> go home </em> – but now I’ve got to babysit you.”</p><p>The small creature shrugs. “And I’ve got to babysit someone else, eh? Life is full of surprises.” Oddly enough, he chuckles roughly – as if he’d expected this outcome all along. He starts his shuffle towards the main annex, where Tuar’s tank lies within the main chambers. Remnants of his wings flutter aimlessly between his shoulder blades. “Let’s get it done, yeah?”</p><p>Ciel cocks an eyebrow at him but follows. “Why’d you put up such a fight, anyway, huh? He <em> is </em>your boss, you know.”</p><p>His voice is gravelly and amused. “Meh! I am where I am in life because I have my own opinions, and don’t just tell people what they want to hear from me.”</p><p>Snorting, “What, like, that got you promoted?”</p><p>“Of course!” Vious slides his bulbous eyes in his direction. “I’m also very personable, friendly, kind, and uh, worth my weight in gold – is how you say it, yes?”</p><p>He can’t help but laugh. This creature is a pain in the ass – but has his own kind of charm. Ren doesn’t mind dealing with his disrespect; he must be getting used to it. After all, he puts up with <em> Finn’s </em>disrespect all the time. </p><p>The only one Ren still loses patience with now-a-days is Dameron. But, c’mon – who <em> doesn’t </em>lose their patience with that son-of-a-bitch?</p><p>The main hall is wide and vast, more room than they need for a Council of their size. Ciel knows that his boss has secret hopes for his system to grow – though he’ll never say it out loud. Honestly, Ciel wishes the same. They have a good thing going on here. Now that Ren doesn’t have a Sith whispering in his head every day, he’s actually been able to become really <em> good </em> at this. He’d sucked at being the Supreme Leader, honestly. Distracted, furious, obsessed, impatient, unnecessarily violent, and he kept the wrong company around just so he could rub their nose in the fact that they lost the pissing contest. <em> (Cough, Hux, Cough) </em></p><p>Now? Ren’s commanding enough to get the job done, but he can be benevolent, too. Smart enough to listen to all sides so he can make fair judgement calls. A mediator, knowing when to step back and when to step in. He’s surprisingly patient, and has even figured out how to be persuasive <em> without </em> (outright) violence.</p><p>Miss Rey helps in that regard, the saint. She lets him use up his energy in <em> other </em>ways.</p><p>The splashing alerts him to Tuar’s presence. It flits back and forth in a tank that’s really only meant to hold it for small periods of time. Its race is both genders at once and self-fertilizes; obviously, it hadn’t been expecting a gathering of the whole administration. No one had.</p><p>They were all called on-world about the possibility of giving aid to two of Dameron’s more unstable worlds. Ren always liked to have discussions like this in person, so he was better able to read the room. The Pilot had been snarky behind closed doors about the ‘moral obligation’ Ren has to give <em> any-and-all  </em>aid requested, even though that Resistance prick is already bleeding the hidden coffers of 'Order money dry.</p><p>Ciel wants to punch Poe Dameron right in the face. And he’s not alone.</p><p>The water sloshes as Tuar’s head pops from beneath the surface, spraying water from its lips in a pretty fountain in the air. It reflects a spectrum of light from the nearby stained glass and, in its way, it’s breathtaking. </p><p>Vious remains unmoved. Crossing his arms, unfriendly, he shifts on his feet. “Just tell me what you need, eh? Babies are babies, and babies are important. No matter when they come. Or how <em> inconvenient </em> it is when they come.”</p><p>Tuar’s expression sours.</p><p>Angling his trunk to show a bit of his gruesome smile, bottom teeth jutting out, Vious leans in. “But – it’s okay. I’ll keep you safe. No worries, huh? I’m <em> delighted, </em>yeah?”</p><p>The Sagaraya looks wary and its temples throb beautifully with its caution. The thing really is gorgeous – in a non-sexual way. It’s basically made of cellophane fins and rainbows. When Tuar’s in the water, it’s absolutely captivating. </p><p>When it walks on land though, which it <em>is </em>capable of, it looks like a drowned womp rat that someone melted colors onto.</p><p>“Councilman Vious, why the change of tune?” It swishes and floats to the edge of the tank nearest to the Toydarian. It cocks a sarcastic eyebrow and drifts its fingertips over the edge, suggestively. “Have you finally realized you want me for your own?”</p><p>Ciel laughs. That flirty thing. Tuar is one of his favorites; they have the exact same sense of humor. That’s why, when Vious’ grin sinks into a frown, the soldier chimes in.</p><p>“If he doesn’t, that doesn’t mean no one else does.” He slides to the tank, giving his most charming smile and fiddling roguishly with his braid.</p><p>Knowing what their banter is like, Vious ‘UGH!’s and starts his waddle-walk away, muttering things about saltwater and eggs and gestation periods. Ciel giggles at his colleague.</p><p>“I think our love affair makes him uncomfortable.” He winks.</p><p>Feigning shyness, Tuar pushes a small wave at him. “He must be surprised that a human male like you could ever catch my eye. He was hoping I’d look at <em> him </em>that way – I’m sure.”</p><p>Ciel grins, enjoying the joke. “Well, he’ll never have you, love – you were mine the moment you were born.”</p><p>Tuar giggles and twirls in pretty, fluttery circles. The soldier has half a mind to– </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Excuse me?” the female Toydarian cuts in. Clearing her throat. “Does, eh, Vious come back into this story? Or is it just…” she gestures up and down at him with a bit of a disgusted look.</p><p>“Hey, now!” he chides, mildly offended. Though, it’s only then that he realizes that, no, her friend would <em>not </em>have been in the story any more at that point. </p><p>He clears his throat. “I was only meaning to show you that he never kowtowed or kissed ass. And that he always did the right thing, in the end. He supported Councilor Tuar through its whole nesting period and even helped take care of its four children until they matured enough to move off-world. Hell, I even think he actually <em> liked </em> them before they left. He was a sucker for kids, that guy. He and Master Solo are the same, that way.”</p><p>She chuckles softly, lost in memories, maybe. Her eyes are distant and her soft smile blooms into a look that could only be love. “He was nice with my babies, too.”</p><p>“Hmm?” Ciel pulls his heel up onto the bench seat and wraps his hands around his knee, pulling it up towards his chest, stretching out his hamstring. The damn thing has been <em> tight </em>recently.</p><p>“When Master Solo asked him about, eh... <em> inconvenient </em> births – he was probably thinking about mine.” She looks at him, all grins. “My mate was away – too far away to come quickly – and my time came on suddenly. Vious was there, and he panicked like a child, heh. He grabbed anything and everything he could from my home and called in several <em> departments </em>to get me to the hospital.”</p><p>Laughing, gently. “What – you mean like, more than just med-transports?”  </p><p>“Also med-<em> copters, </em> and med- <em> droids. </em>A whole cast of his minions showed up at my house while I’m grabbing my belly, yeah? Here I am crying, and twenty creatures are ramming my door to come inside.”</p><p>Ciel’s laugh becomes a more hefty one and he covers his grin with one hand.</p><p>After a moment, her eyes go soft again. “And he was there. He was the first one to hold my babies.” She gets that distant look, again. A sort of bittersweetness hangs in the air.</p><p>“You wish they were his.” Not a question.</p><p>She doesn’t look at him, but he watches as her smile widens with wishful thinking. “Every day, yeah?”</p><p>The soldier breathes in a sigh through his nose. The sun is getting close to setting now, and it’s time to go make dinner. He loves making food – one of life’s simple pleasures. Plus, he’s cooking for Miss Rey tonight. Ben doesn’t care either way – - but Rey goes mental for his cooking, and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t like the attention.</p><p>Suddenly, another story pops into his mind and he snaps his fingers. “One more, okay? I’ve got one more to tell you, and this is my favorite.”</p><p>She turns at him, rapt in her attention, and clasps her hands in her lap.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“I told you, I don’t need <em> you. </em> I need Master Ren,” Vious repeats for the umpteenth time.</p><p>“Yeah, yeah. You and everyone else,” Ciel mutters, sauntering behind the slow pace of the male in front.</p><p>Vious grouses, “You don’t have the authority I need, General.”</p><p>Mockingly, Ciel copies his intonation, “And you don’t have my <em> sympathies, </em>Councilman.”</p><p>They stare at each other for only a small bit before breaking into shared laughter. Ciel ducks down a little to clap him off the back as both of them walk through the new suburban construction zone that bustles all around them. Sounds of riveting and blow-torching and hammering fill the nice weather with their sounds. It’s refreshing, really. Ciel’s used to taking places down – not building them up. Life has become sweet, somehow. Seeing things that look like shops and houses sketched out in brightly colored wooden skeletons makes him fantasize about the possible future that lies here.</p><p>Until ear-splitting CRASHES rip through the air and Ciel watches a matchstick building frame in the distance go down with a boom. Dust billows from the bottom of it, sentients yelping from that direction as something <em> roars. </em></p><p>Workers run by them like they’re not even there; he and Vious stand like idiots and just look forward as more wooden foundations tear down in loud bangs. Ciel points straight forward, arm parallel to the ground.</p><p>Stupidly, “Your buildings are falling.”</p><p>Vious snorts. “You think?” He scrubs his hands over his face, exasperated. “Stupid Kruhna, yeah? I need to do something about these beasts; that’s why you’re here. I didn’t want <em> you, </em>but it’s you, anyway – so…” he shrugs. “Advise.”</p><p>One more roar rings out and another flood of people skirt past them, trying to escape whatever is happening down towards the tree line. Ciel touches his hand to his belt, ensuring that his blaster is still there but, when Vious catches the gesture out of the corner of his eye, he bubbles with wicked laughter.</p><p>“General – forgive me, yeah? These things have rough hides. You use that? You only make him mad! He’ll stomp you! Crush you! Believe me. If they weren’t so strong, I would have shot them all, myself. Stupid Kruhna. Ugly and stupid and stupid and <em> ugly!” </em></p><p>He spits to the side, still cursing the things, and Ciel has to jump away slightly so it doesn’t hit his shoe.</p><p>“Advice? My advice is to not build here. You said there are whole herds of these things, right?”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“Do they migrate?”</p><p>“Nope.”</p><p>Ugh – this is so not Ciel’s thing. “Why the hell did you try and build here, anyway?”</p><p>Vious shrugs. “Meh. Wasn’t me. I lead a whole planet, yeah? This is a provincial magistrate. I’m stuck trying to pick up his mess. If he didn’t have such big <em> wings, </em> no one would like him... and then I could get him out of his damn office. As it is though,” he shrugs again, as if to say, ‘what can you do?’</p><p>Ciel scoffs. “Goddamn democracy.”</p><p>“Goddamn democracy,” Vious agrees. “Master Ren is my – what do you call it? My ‘override button.’ Environmentalists all cry, ‘No! So important! They stop the Hjanik from eating us!’ Blah, blah, blah. I say we kick these monsters to the other end of the planet, then we eat the <em> Hjanik,</em> huh?”</p><p>Incredulous. “You can <em> eat </em>those things?”</p><p>“Yeah. But you get horrible, smelly gas. Don’t ask me how I know, huh?”</p><p>For some reason, the soldier’s eyes go wide at the crass statement. Vious scratches his belly and just looks at him plainly. </p><p>“Did we just level up our friendship or something?” Ciel can’t help but ask. If they’re talking about private bodily functions, he guesses so.</p><p>After another structure shudders and hits the ground, the soldier decides that he’d like to have a closer look at this thing. He taps his blaster once more, decides he’s invincible, and strides in the direction of the noise.</p><p>“What! You stupid?” Vious starts his rolling stride after him, tugging his shirt to try to get his attention. “They’re territorial – Hence. My. Whole. Issue, you get it?”</p><p>But Ciel is more and more curious the closer he gets. He rationalizes, “Hey – your people just fluttered and ran on by here like these things are nightmares. What if someone got trampled or hurt, you know? What if we need to go on a rescue mission?”</p><p>The Toydarian blinks his black eyes up at him for a moment – but only a moment. Then, his mouth firms up into a line and his trunk snuffles as he takes a breath. “Okay. Okay, then.”</p><p>“You and me against the world, little man,” Ciel unhooks his blaster with a grin, but yelps when he gets a rough pinch along his waist.</p><p>Vious eyes him with a smirk. “Never call me that again.”</p><p>And then he leads the way.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Ciel snags a human by the back of his collar and <em> yanks </em>him out of the way, just in time for the enormous Kruhna to slam its feet down where the man once stood, bellowing out a deafening blast from it’s tusked face.</p><p>Calling out to the people he’s pulled from the wreckage, Ciel herds the wounded away from the beast that charges at them, only barely missing getting gored in the process. The creature is frantic and hysterical, pawing at the ground with it’s rough and gnarly hooves before doing a quick 180 turn, tossing its head, and taking down another set of wooden pikes. Rearing up, it crashes down on those pieces again and again, pulverizing them into the ground.</p><p><em> “General!” </em>Vious snaps him out of his wide-eyed reverie, and the soldier gets his head back in the game and does his duty, ushering people to skitter against the still-standing walls as quickly as they can while the beast is distracted.</p><p>The Toydarian stands on the lip of a medium sized barrier, beckoning with his hands and reaching out to grasp at flutter-brothers to pull them up when their wings drag from all the dust in the air. The humans are having a better go at it, save one.</p><p><em> That </em>one is currently dragging Ciel down with his weight. He tries to help the enormous, sweaty bastard who, he’s sure, is suffering from nothing more than a twisted ankle. Size doesn’t equal strength, he supposes. Or badassery, either – especially since a creature who only comes up to his hip is pulling his citizens to safety while <em> this </em>brute whimpers on him like a child. He has half a mind to drop the guy.</p><p>One more step and the burly man-baby angles his leg wrong and shrieks like he’s dying, nearly blowing out Ciel’s eardrum…</p><p>… and the noise catches the <em> direct </em>attention of the stampeding beast.</p><p>It’s beady sets of eyes narrow in on them, and Ciel only has time to curse in repetition before the thing storms closer. Its thunderous hooves cut clots out of the ground as it hollers.</p><p>There’s not enough time. The behemoth princess in his arms is all dewy eyed and muscley and <em> completely incapacitating him. </em> His arms are so full of man-meat, he can’t even get to his gun. All he can do is flinch his eyes shut and hope that the whiny-wonder gets the brunt of the creature’s body slam.</p><p>A whistle screeches out in the air, and the soldier flings his eyes up just in time to see the Kruhna skid to a stop, kicking up clouds of dirt all around him, only a few feet away. The creature rears its head back menacingly, looking towards the sound.</p><p>Vious stands, silhouetted by the sun behind him, with his hands on his hips like a legend. He lifts his trunk, purses his lips, and warbles that shrill cry once more. Once he has the beast’s full attention, he chucks a rock. Not a huge rock – the male has puny arms – but a <em> rock </em>and it pelts the beast right between the eyes.</p><p>Badass.</p><p>“HEY YOU! IDIOT UGLY THING! GET OUTTA MY TOWN, YEAH?!”</p><p>The Kruhna stamps and scrapes his hoof back in a definitely aggressive gesture. Ciel’s heart is in his throat – the damn thing is going to charge again. He dumps the thick bastard that he’s holding from his arms and moves to whip out his gun, but when it’s not at his hip, he looks down at himself in blind shock.</p><p>The heavy bastard took his belt down with him when he went. <em> Son-of-a- </em></p><p>Another deafening cry is heard and the Kruhna rams his feet into the ground, driving itself at full-gait towards the trembling Toydarian male who stares down his doom without looking away. Hands still on his hips, trunk contracted in his tension, eyes <em> locked </em>on his destiny.</p><p>Bad. Ass.</p><p>The charging beast does another skid, rearing up high enough to block out Ciel’s view of his colleague, even though Vious has the high ground. The menace slams down so hard, the earth trembles; still, the Toydarian stands – eyes to eye with the ugly demon. It flings its head back and forth violently in front of the Super-Councilman, grunting and pawing its vicious hooves at the ground, flicking its three tails in whip cracks. </p><p>Vious is trembling, but he doesn’t move. Not one inch. </p><p>The stare is long, and tension burns through Ciel’s body. The beast’s hackles rise and he’s <em> sure </em>this is the end for his (flatulent) friend.</p><p>“HUFF. HUFF. <em> HAAAHCHOO!” </em> the thing thunders its sneeze-snort-snuff <em> directly </em> in Vious’ face, snot running from him like globs of yellow water. Ciel winces on his behalf, wanting to gag.</p><p>His colleague only makes one movement… he crosses his arms slowly while raising one eyebrow.</p><p>BADASS! Gods! <em> Seriously?! </em></p><p>Even dripping with goo, this goddamned male is now a <em> Rockstar </em> in Ciel’s book.</p><p>The stare only lasts for a few more moments before the beast huffs one last time and turns away. It clomps its hard feet and flicks its tails, not even looking at Ciel and his buff prima ballerina on the way. Perhaps it’s deemed them not a threat. Accurate.</p><p>He watches the thing disappear into the woods, its point made, and when he spins his head around to look at Vious again, he still stands strong. For about thirty seconds, he stands <em> strong. </em></p><p>After thirty seconds, though?</p><p>“EEEYUCK!” the male screams, swiping at himself with schmek-covered hands to remove the dollops of nasal spray from his body. In awe, the soldier watches this dance of disgust as Vious does his best to writhe out of his skin.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Coming back from his reverie, he looks at the flutter-sister with affection in his eyes. “He was just that way, you know? He was a total character. Strong. Brave. A pain in the ass – but a hero.” He looks up at the statue. “Always a hero.”</p><p>She snorts a sort of giggle, wrinkling her trunk. “I think that I, uh, only ever got to see <em> one </em>of his many faces. It's nice to know that other ones are good, too, yeah?”</p><p>Ciel nods, proud of his colleague. Proud to have known the quirky bastard.</p><p>She pats him softly on the leg. “I think that, once my mourning is finished, I will try harder to be a good wife. My mate… he must have been lonely, all this time, huh?”</p><p>He puts his hand over hers and squeezes it. “Maybe.”</p><p>They sit together, hand in hand, thinking of the same male in different ways. The sun settles into twilight, casting pretty shadows over a monument to someone who was an unsung hero his whole life.</p><p> </p><p>It would make a great holodrama.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter was another great idea prompted by our good friend MorphoBlueTravels. I couldn’t take all of their ideas because the timing didn’t quite work - but I did use pieces of it. (I bet you can guess which ones!) </p><p><b>Original prompt: </b><br/>Khruna species: a funny story about something being lost in translation. The assumption that they are “just animals” like cows &amp; pigs, but Ben’s insight &amp; want for peace figures it out. Maybe there are alien monkey-throwing-poop scenes...there had to be something that fueled the animosity with Vious, that he doesn’t tell Ben why there was an issue...</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Minerals, Minerals, Minerals (The Best Deals are Done When Drunk)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p><p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3 </p><p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p></p><div class="center">
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</div><p>--------------------------</p><p><b>Where:</b> A’K-Kas: Swamp / Brambles / Lava</p><p><b>Time:</b> A2D, BS (After Second Death, Before Starlight)</p><p><b>Tags:</b> Crack, Funny, Drunken shenanigans, Hookahs, Voluntary Call-Girls (no sex)</p><p><b>POV:</b> Poe / Ben</p><p>  </p><p>“You suck, Solo – anyone ever tell you that?” Poe crosses his arms, narrowing his eyes.</p><p>“Not in so many words,” Ben concedes, a small smile twitching the corners of his lips. “But your point is noted. Now – illuminate me on why I should care. This should come as no surprise to you.”</p><p>The prick is right. With everything that went down during the trial, the Alliance made some <em> concessions </em> that they probably shouldn’t have – all to keep the Force community safe. The matter of contention? The. Goddamned. Hutts. All the resources the Alliance previously got from the FFO are now diverted to this group of slimy, wormy, icky, overgrown <em> maggots. </em></p><p>“Now, now – that’s not nice,” Ben chastises – and Poe wants to smack him.</p><p>“How many times do I have to tell you not to do that?”</p><p>The man shrugs, “I can't help it anymore. If I’ve been in someone’s mind, even once, it’s as easy as eavesdropping.”</p><p>Poe is snide, more than anything else. “Well, then stop behaving like an 80-year-old, nosy, busybody and <em> end the eavesdrop.” </em></p><p>Ben snorts. “There has to be a slogan in there somewhere. ‘Stop the injustices committed by the elderly, daily – End the Eavesdrop’!” He waves his hand only slightly theatrically, picturing the moniker.</p><p>They regard each other for a bit before breaking into chuckles, ebbing the tension. Solo is good at that now. He can take a prickly situation and lighten it up. Who knew the bastard had a sense of humor? Even when it comes to his collar – all he does is dress in indecently open robes to show off his chest, embarrassing the more conservative sentients within the Alliance Committees; a sort of passive aggressive approach to protesting his blow-your-head-off safe-guard. The one that doesn’t actually function anymore.</p><p>Come to think of it – it’s probably good that Solo still makes a point about showing his distaste for it. Then, maybe no one will think to test the damn controls to ensure they’re still functional. <em> That’s </em>something the pilot hasn’t thought his way around, yet. But… meh. It’s a problem when-and-if it’s a problem. </p><p>“I need those minerals. You know it as well as I do,” Poe insists.</p><p>But Solo only shrugs. “And?”</p><p><em> “AND </em>– can you talk to that disgusting Hutt for me? As a favor, or something?”</p><p>Ben’s smile unfolds slowly, his eyes gleaming with something devious that immediately sends Poe’s skin into goosebumps. “Why don’t you ask him yourself, General?”</p><p>Scoffing, Poe puts his hands on his hips and leans in. “You know that jelly roll doesn’t take my comms.”</p><p>The eyes that glittered before <em> gleam. </em>“Good thing he’s coming up behind you, then.”</p><p>Shit.</p><p>Turning around, Poe sees a pair of sentients advancing along the narrow path that cuts through this ‘scenic field’ of thickets, brambles, and the soft muck of mud.  The Monarch’s Council member chitter-chatters its way beside Enja the Hutt, himself. Poe grimaces for reasons other than the swampy smell, caught completely off his guard.</p><p>Solo had dragged him down to A’K-Kas for this <em>should-have-been-short</em> conversation, though the pilot hadn’t minded. It’s always easier for him to convince this Force-user of things in person; he seems to hate holocams all of a sudden… like he’s been traumatized by them or something.  </p><p>The blue Hutt-thing is just as gross as he remembers: wrinkly, yellow-eyed, sluggishly slow, slave-trader scum. Councilman Akatsa barely comes up to Enja’s mid-belly, so seeing the two saunter side-by-side is amusing, even given the pilot’s disgust.</p><p>“You didn’t tell me you had company,” Poe states drily.</p><p>Shrugging, “You didn’t ask. You think I wouldn’t have work to do when I’m here?”</p><p>Poe glowers. “In no way am I gonna let you give him those Vatra slaves he’s always on about.”</p><p>Ben gets that icy, anger-simmering-under-the-surface look on his face. “One, Poe Dameron – there is no way I would allow that. Ever. They are <em> my people, </em> in case you’ve forgotten. Two; if I even considered that as an option, I would never get to have a biological child, as my wife would remove all the parts of me that matter.” He locks eyes on Poe with a tiny smirk. “Three; if you ever make another assumption on what you will or will not ‘let me do’, I’ll ensure <em> you </em>can’t make any biological children. Am I clear?”</p><p>Covering his sarcastic grin with one hand, “Kyber.”</p><p>“Besides, I invited you down here specifically so you could ambush him into a conversation.”</p><p><em> Touché, </em> Poe thinks in satisfaction. There are benefits to his relationship with Ben Solo.</p><p>The Monarch of the FFO nods curtly and grabs Poe’s elbow, leading him in the direction of his diplomatic colleagues. Dameron has half a mind to slip out of Ben’s grip and get snarky with him (he prides himself at his ability for snark, after all) but he’s not sure what would piss off the delegation in front of him. It’s not worth the risk.</p><p>He <em> really </em>needs these resources.</p><p>Grumbling, he allows himself to be led closer and listens to Solo give his pleasantries.</p><p>“…And, I believe you all know General Poe Dameron of the Galactic Alliance?”</p><p>The FFO’s buggish-creature nods and clacks its… jaw… thing… in welcome, and the Hutt belly-laughs like he’s not seen anything so great for days.</p><p>Poe can’t help but narrow his eyes. “Glad to know I make you so happy. I enjoy making people happy. It’s my thing, really.”</p><p>“Ha! Alliance scum, you. Of course I like to see. I like to see you wanting what we have – and not having.” He rumbles in amusement and Ben cocks an eyebrow at the pilot as if to say, ‘Your move.’</p><p>“You only have it because we <em> let </em>them give it to you,” Poe sneers.</p><p>Solo grips him with the Force, then – not painful, but firm – and the man’s expression is very clear. ‘You will not undermine me in my own house.’</p><p>Warning lives in his voice, “The Fallen First Order was never under your jurisdiction, General Dameron. We needed neither your permission nor your blessing to ally with my guest, here. If you can’t be respectful,” his tone turns to a sort of croon, “I’d be happy to have you escorted off-world. Or murdered. I can even take the pleasure myself.”</p><p>And he releases. The pilot huffs a little, breath returning to his body and Ben’s slight nod apologizes… kind of.</p><p>He’s still a prick.</p><p>“Fine – yeah, fine. I get it.” Poe straightens his collar and shakes himself out, making a bit of a show to have it seem like Solo snagged him harder than he really did.</p><p>That’s what they have to do now-a-days. A dance of ‘make it look like we hate each other’ in public while, in private, they actually get on pretty well. Friends-ish.</p><p>“Your,” Poe swallows distastefully, “Excellence, Enja.”</p><p>The beast grumbles another laugh and strokes his upper belly with his short arms.</p><p>Poe continues, “Since we’re both here – why don’t we discuss a deal? You’re purchasing 100% of the surplus minerals from the FFO, as per your agreement with the system. To put it simply: we need some of it. I’d like to propose a second-hand deal – or maybe even a sell through.”</p><p>The creature coughs out another sound of pleasure. “You saying me, ‘Buy what we no need for using’ or ‘Buy what we <em> already </em> used to recycle’, hm?”</p><p>He shrugs, flippantly. “In a nutshell.”</p><p>Ben looks on as the Hutt strokes his enormous… breasts? Are those breasts? Fat bags? Hangy-sacks? Floppy tits? What…?</p><p>Anyway – he strokes himself as he considers.</p><p>“Hmmm. Alliance Scum – you convincing… <em>if</em> profitability agreed, me.”</p><p>Poe hisses a sigh through his nose. Of all the words in Basic that Hutt butchers, it figures that ‘profitability’ isn’t one of them. Alright – here we go. Months of trying to have this damn conversation, and he knows <em> exactly </em>how he wants to pitch this. He opens his mouth, ready for his opening argument.</p><p>But the damn thing cuts him off before he can get a word out.</p><p>“Drinks, thinking me. Deals not done under open sky.”</p><p>The pilot can’t help but look up at the greenish gas cloud that hangs over the sticky, almost noxious air. It’s heartwarming. Really. What a great place.</p><p>Sighing, “Where are deals done, then?”</p><p>The Jedi tips his head back, haughtily. “In a bar – preferably drunk.”</p><p>Enja ‘Ha!’s again and Poe just knits his eyebrows. Is this guy serious? Like – seriously serious? It’s like he can feel the ‘Lando’ oozing from Solo’s pores.</p><p>“Best deals done when drunk,” Enja agrees, blinking and squishing into himself, somehow.</p><p>Well. Okay, then.</p><p>Smirking, Ben lets out one of his standard catch phrases. “To each his own.”</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>His first clue that he’s <em> maybe </em> gone too far is when Poe realizes he’s... riding Enja. Whooping and flailing while the creature bucks beneath him, wriggling and writhing as his bodyguards train their blasters <em> right </em>on the pilot. Not that he cares; he barely even registers it. <em>Or </em>the fact that Master Solo is using the Force to keep all triggers from squeezing, his jaw tense like nobody’s business. Still, Poe laughs like a lunatic.</p><p>Oddly enough, Enja is laughing with him.</p><p>His second clue that this all has gone a bit sideways is that, once he finally loses his grip and gets tossed off, the worm chuckles deeply and slides over to mount him right back. The pressure on his spine is <em> immediate </em>and the, “OOF” that presses from his lungs can be heard even over the din of the VIP area. Solo is facepalming and all of Enja’s goons are hysterical with guffaws. Even Poe giggles whilst trying his best to scramble away, fingers scraping into the carpet that the Hutt is unceremoniously drooling gobs onto.</p><p>Awareness comes back to him the moment one of said gobs drips onto his head.</p><p>His, “OOF!”s become more like, “GAHHH!”s.</p><p>Ben is on him in a minute, helping to lug him out from under the male he just wants to buy things from. A simple purchase! A trade! How the hell did he get here?</p><p>But that concept flies out the window when a group of hot, sexy, attractive females arrive. In fact, all heads of all species swivel to see them saunter in – except for Ben’s. That bastard doesn’t even recognize women as women, as far as Poe’s concerned; the man is the definition of monogamy. He’s glad for Rey, really he is, but – <em> Jeez, Solo, can’t you be a little more -human-? </em></p><p>“...Can’t you hit on them with me?” Poe leans into Ben, harder than he means to, completing his train of thought out loud. “Pleez? I mean – you gotta. Right? It’s all a part-a DIPLOMACY!” He’s not sure why he shouted the last – but, it seems he’d somehow procured a glass in his hand, so he raises it and “cheers” the crowd while he yells.</p><p>After the drink passes his lips, he spits it out violently. <em> “WATER!? </em> Ben. Ben. Ben,” he’s sloshy again, weaving on his own feet, “C’mon, you think I need <em> water?” </em></p><p>The other man’s face is like stone, save one quirked eyebrow. “I can’t take credit; it was my guest’s idea.”</p><p>Enja chortles in a gruff baritone. “Poison in blood when too many drinks, Alliance Scum. Need you for entertainment, me.” The Hutt gestures at the ladies – all obviously sex workers – and points back at Poe, suggestively. “Gifts, Scum. Take gifts, take water, and then – more drinks!”</p><p>The Hutt’s crew raises their voices in a loud huzzah of joy.</p><p>Grasping at Solo’s monkish-yet-revealing robes and testing every inch of the man’s patience, Poe murmurs, “Ben. Ben. <em> Ben. </em>Are all the ladies,” he hiccups, “Like, they all wanna be here, right?”</p><p>The Jedi sighs heavily, staring at Poe for only the briefest moments before he looks around the crowd. Nodding roughly, “Those three like doing it. That one needs the money. And it’s <em> that </em>one’s first night, so she’s terrified.”</p><p>The pilot hiccups again. “But willing?”</p><p>Scoffing and rolling his eyes, arms crossed as he makes every effort to avoid Poe’s breath. “If it makes any difference, she thinks you’re… Gods, I can’t believe I’m saying this out loud… ‘dreamy’. She also thinks you’re an idiot and a drunk – but ‘dreamy’ anyway.”</p><p>And Poe grins. He reels away from Ben and back towards the Hutt of the hour. Why didn’t he like this guy before? This is a great guy. So what if he’s a little slimy and a little worm-like? He’s good people.</p><p>Flailing, he slaps onto Enja and skids down a bit, blinking up. “Hey. Hey – do you mind if I get – that one?” He points to the new girl with a wavering arm. Quite obviously, too. So much so that she’s pointing at herself to confirm his request, even though Poe’s eyes are locked with the blue monster. “I’mma be <em> nice </em>to her.”</p><p>“Ah-ha-ha! Yes, Scum. Liking better the other ones, me.” The creature waggles his stunted arms to get the girls’ attention. Two Humans, a Twi’lek, and something Poe doesn’t recognize but has a cool, ethereal glow.</p><p>Shoving the pilot slightly, Enja makes him fall directly into New Girl’s arms. He grins up at her and she returns his smile warily.</p><p>“Don’ worry. You’re. You’re dreamy, too. I LIKE YOU! I think, like… y’know… I think…”</p><p>Then Poe passes out.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>How did this become his night? Drinks and being tipsy-drunk are one thing – but <em> this? </em>This is a circus!</p><p>If only Ciel were here – he’d soak it up like sunlight.</p><p>Ben steeples his fingertips into his eyebrows, warding off the impending headache. There are too many people in here. Between Enja’s goons and Ben’s guard – the VIP area is way too close-quartered. His mind is buzzing with their thoughts, his elbows are brushing people, and it’s all he can do to not attack everyone to get some space. He’d remove himself to the plush seat in the corner – but, no, Dameron needs babysitting. Especially when he’s unconscious on the floor and a wanna-be prostitute is poking him to ensure he’s still alive.</p><p>The Jedi knocks on Rey’s mental walls, searching for commiseration – but she’s sleeping.</p><p>One good thing is that Master Solo has had to pick up after many-a-drunken Finn-mess as they travelled together. In that regard, he’s had… training.</p><p>At least Dameron hasn’t started a bar fight.</p><p> </p><p> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>  </p><p>A half an hour later, a conscious Poe screams, “BAR FIGHT!” and Enja laughs maniacally, eyes rolling drunkenly back in his head as he waves one stubby hand wildly, using the other to prepare his hookah for a toke.</p><p>Ben ducks slightly as a bottle sails overhead and can’t help but grin a bit. Oh yes, <em>this </em>will help him blow off some steam.</p><p>The Jedi had roused Dameron to <em>remove</em> him for the evening but, once up and about, the pilot got a second wind. On the main floor of the A’K-Kas cantina, the natives are chattering viciously in anger. Without Basic transcoders, Ben can’t understand a single one of them – though the gist is obvious.</p><p>Fight.</p><p>Still though – he has his damn collar which puts eyes on him all over the galaxy, plus these are his damn subjects, PLUS he is a damn <em> leader. </em></p><p>“STOP!” His voice rings clear as a bell and he flings a hand out, freezing a wide-eyed Aqualish in the air <em> juuuust </em>before the chair it’s holding slams onto Poe Dameron’s idiot head.</p><p>All eyes are on him and he straightens his robes with his free hand, huffing. When many pixelated eyes blink at him in recognition of who he is, he finally releases, letting the sentient drop to the floor.</p><p>Silence ensues as Ben Solo walks to the bar and simply holds out his hand for something, <em> anything </em> to take the edge off. The bartender moves like he has a fire under him and gives Ben a double shot of something gruesome. He kicks it back in a single gulp and the bartender wordlessly offers another. But, no – just one, thank you.</p><p>Someone has to play parent.</p><p>Poe is staring at him like he’s a hero while Enja smokes some foul ganja, blowing rings of smoke around his head in fluffy circles. Ben, meanwhile, wants to throttle them all.</p><p>He hates tonight.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Watching protectively as Enja’s arm stays wrapped around Dameron, Ben keeps on his guard, just in case. Poe is singing in a false-bass tone, feet dragging and stumbling, and it’s making him fall periodically against the slithering creature beside him. Enja’s entourage has long given up trying to blast the pilot for his advances toward the Hutt, as they’re mostly incapacitated themselves, causing an uproar as they wind down the posh-and-silent Aqualish streets on their way back to the capital building.</p><p>The FFO guard and Ben aren’t the only ones humiliated by this mess. Akatsa, who’d been roused from a good night’s sleep to help handle this debacle, follows along with its fingertips thrumming against each other, its clacking sound drowned out by its basic transcoder.</p><p>“Master Solo, this is the residential area for local leadership. It’s ill advised to be making such a scene in the first place, never mind at such an hour. Minds may tip towards negative when thinking of our guests.”</p><p>Contemplating how to best phrase this, Ben lands on, “Consider this a lesson in cross-cultural awareness. These are <em> both </em>our allies, more or less. A little leeway should be given for…” he gestures at the reeling sentients in front of him, just waiting for one to let loose and vomit, “This. Whatever this is.”</p><p>His ears perk up as Poe starts in on his long awaited negotiations, slurring and slapping Enja like he’s not the leader of a whole system.</p><p>“Hey. Hey – you know whatIwas talkin’ about before? I think – I think we can work it out. I think we can off’r you 5% more than we were paying the FFO.”</p><p>Ben gives him credit. That was actually coherent.</p><p>A low, "Hmmm," burbles out as the Hutt squeezes the pilot closer into his bosom. “10%, me.”</p><p>Poe scoffs, tripping on his own feet, only to be caught by his new friend. “Seven.”</p><p>“Nine.”</p><p>The Jedi watches Poe's back as he stops in his tracks, eying the sleemo beside him.</p><p>“You’re – I think you’re takin’ advantage of my sit-chu-ation.”</p><p>“HA!” Enja calls, pulling Poe into a walk again. “Of course, me. Best deals done when drunk.”</p><p>Poe eyes Ben in irritation over his shoulder as if to say, ‘You knew this would happen.’</p><p>Shrugging roguishly, the Jedi doesn’t mind the accusatory stare. Expensive resources are better than <em> no </em>resources.</p><p>The exaggerated, “Arghhh!” of Dameron giving up echoes through the sky, signaling that the deal is done.</p><p>This night may have been worth it after all. </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Poe’s head hurts, damnit. Everything is throbbing in pulses, rendering his mind a puddle. That’s why, when Solo rakes the curtains open, letting the lime-colored light in, the pilot cries out in pain.</p><p>“No…” he chokes out, voice raw and ragged, but he’s ignored.</p><p>A glass of water is unceremoniously hung in front of him, Ben’s fingertips squeezing the rim of the sweating glass; expectant. Poe tries to wave him away but doesn’t quite have the strength or the wherewithal to care. Let that cup hang in front of his eyes for all eternity, he doesn’t give a damn.</p><p>Sighing gruffly, Ben sits on the bed beside him, rocking him enough to make his stomach sour. Sliding his heavy arm under the pilot's neck, he lifts the man upright and presses the glass against his mouth until he relents.</p><p>“I hate life,” is all Poe can say, earning him a smirk from his colleague.</p><p>“I don’t blame you. You really made an effort last night.”</p><p>“That's what we’re calling it?”</p><p>Ben nods, “That’s what we’re calling it.”</p><p>Poe gives in as the man settles him back into semi-sitting. “What happened?”</p><p>And, ohhh, does that smirk turn into a grin. “You don’t remember?”</p><p>He wants to shake his head but knows it will only result in horror being spewed onto the bed.</p><p>“Hmmm,” Solo’s eyes nearly twinkle. “Where to start; where to start?”</p><p>Poe swallows audibly.</p><p>Pensive, a soft smile crosses his face as he picks lint off his clothes. Ben leans on one arm and reminds him, “There were men involved. You were quite taken with them.”</p><p>The pilot blanches. His voice comes out higher than he means. <em> “Men?” </em></p><p>He’s compatriot nods, “Oh yes. You were... amorous – and <em> possessive. </em>Do you feel any bruising?”</p><p>Considering, he touches parts of his body, only then noticing bloody knuckles. “I didn’t…”</p><p>Grin returning, “You did. You should have seen the faces of your would-be-lovers. Either horrified or enjoying the show.”</p><p>Poe spins his head to look at Ben fast, getting vertigo. “Wait – Lover or Lover-s?”</p><p>The man looks just about devious now, and Poe has no clue that Solo is lying through his teeth. “Lover-s. Three, if I remember correctly. Enja was quite amused.”</p><p>No idea how to explain the confusion wheeling inside him, the leader of a whole slice of worlds puts on his big-boy pants and focuses. “But did I get the deal?”</p><p>Face turning to seriousness, Ben concedes. “Yes. You overpaid, but you got the deal.”</p><p><em> Oh, thank the Gods, </em>is the only thought in Poe’s mind. He’s thankful. He’s… happy! Until the other man slaps him against the back in congratulations...</p><p>...Which makes the pilot puke all over him.</p><p>Somewhere in the back of his mind, he feels eminent danger from the Monarch of the Fallen First Order - but it's overridden by the relief in his stomach.</p><p>This is good news.</p><p>What a wonderful way to start the day.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Tell Me How You Do It (The Sexual Exploration of the Dyad)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p>
<p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3 </p>
<p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <br/>
</p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p><b>Where:</b> <span>Pyat’cinc- Big Cities<br/>
<b>Time:</b> <span>A2D, BS (After Second Death, Before Starlight)<br/>
<b>Tags: </b>
  <span>Funny, Smut, Alcohol (I have a trend going here…) and a smattering of angst / hurt-comfort<br/>
<b>POV:</b> <span>Rey/Ben<br/>
</span></span></span></span></p>
<p>
  <b>Let. Me. Reiterate. That. Tag. </b>
  <span>Smut. Smutsmutsmutsmut and very </span>
  <em>
    <span>lightly</span>
  </em>
  <span> touched on degradation, but moreover, it’s almost allllllll praise kink.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Rey looks up at the night sky and breathes in the air. It’s not as fresh as she’d like – too many transports, hovers and speeders clogging the streets – but she finds the sounds soothing after a near-lifetime in desert silence. A refreshing breeze blows, and she lifts her arms over her head in a stretch, smiling to herself as she watches her friends walk in front of her, chattering away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah is laughing with Ari about something-or-other that Rey can’t hear over the city. Poe’s woman-of-the-week walks backwards so she can face them, completely ignoring the pattern of other pedestrians.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Life has returned to something sweet, and Rey is ever grateful for it. Her husband is safe, her son is safe, her people, too – all are finally accepted for who they are, what they are, and the value they can bring to the galaxy. That’s why she feels so wonderful right now. There’s no weight on her heart and, for the first time in a long time, she’s able to relax. </span></p>
<p><span>She’d followed Ben to his city-planet </span>
  <em>
    <span>(their </span>
  </em>
  <span>city planet), and he’d happily shooed her off to explore an environment she never gets to play in. In its way, it’s magical. Her stomach is full of something delicious, and they’re on their way to the upper area of a posh bar. Kach Sahav, their Councilman for this world, got them </span>
  <em>
    <span>special</span>
  </em>
  <span> access for a very exclusive, upscale experience. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey admits, venues like that are probably more ‘appropriate’ for a person of her status – but that’s reason enough to avoid them. Not one for aristocratic hob-nobbing, she prefers to be with others she can actually relate to; lively cantinas, alleyway bars, and open air markets are where she thrives. Still, she knows that there are times when exceptions must be made. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ciel calls it, ‘The finer things.’ It’s a part of her life she doesn’t bother to fight anymore… as long as it’s the </span>
  <em>
    <span>exception</span>
  </em>
  <span> and not the rule. The </span>
  <em>
    <span>rule</span>
  </em>
  <span> is to be with the people.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She loves that rule.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tonight’s not about her, anyway. This is all a celebration for Ari. Ben’s best friend </span>
  <em>
    <span>plunged </span>
  </em>
  <span>into his relationship with her, proposing in only a half-year. Ciel completely understood how fleeting life can be and had made the active decision not to waste time on hedging his bets. Since Ariani had been pining for him long before he’d ever even spoken to her, she fell head over heels into the fantasy of it all.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They still fight like rishkahs sometimes, though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey admits to being a bit jealous, if she's honest. Ben proposed to her in a shared dream after they’d made love for the first time – saying he’d do it again ‘with her as his wife’. She didn’t even have to say yes; they both just </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew </span>
  </em>
  <span>that’s how it would be. It was… perfect, in its way.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That being said – the intensely orchestrated </span>
  <em>
    <span>event</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ciel prepared had Rey watching with her jaw dropped in awe; she’d never even known such grand gestures even existed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On that beautiful day, Ariani was brimming with happiness, thrilled to be honored in a way she’d never expected, in </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>with love, and filled with dreams of her future.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Good for Ari. Good for </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ciel.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And good for Rey, too, damnit. She has all she needs, after all. Her love story is her own.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Poe’s lady friend, Hana, had stepped-up and stepped-in to this circle of female misfits, deciding to teach them about a… what was it? Ah, a </span>
  <em>
    <span>Bachelorette Party. </span>
  </em>
  <span>A time for:</span>
</p><ul>
<li><span>‘Girl Talk’ (whatever that is)</span></li>
<li><span>Pampering (which freaked Rey out; they rubbed her until she winced)</span></li>
<li><span>Sitting on sidewalks to stare at men (which served no purpose)</span></li>
<li><span>And drinking, evidently.</span></li>
</ul>
<p>
  <span>Rey has to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>sooo </span>
  </em>
  <span>careful when drinking – because Ben feels it, too. Since they almost died, they are nearly the same person, and she loves every bit of it. Still, getting him trashed while he’s in the middle of one of his meetings would be… funny, but not very nice.</span>
</p>
<p><span>If they each drank more than two drinks at the same time? Sloshed. Completely and utterly useless. Sloppy and sick. Embarrassing and… </span><em><span>not </span></em><span>the sort of leaders that anyone in the system would look up to – though she </span><em><span>has</span></em><span> been told that they do fantastic</span> <span>‘parlor tricks.’ </span></p>
<p>
  <span>Again – whatever </span>
  <em>
    <span>those</span>
  </em>
  <span> are.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Probably something to do with inappropriate use of the Force.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Either way – Ben had promised to be home and </span>
  <em>
    <span>stay </span>
  </em>
  <span>home, so she can do as she likes; he’ll just live through her vicariously. She’s already promised to let him in on whatever ‘Girl Talk’ is. Both of them are insanely curious. As far as Rey can tell, it’s not medical in nature… so, what else could it be?</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Bennnn, what are you drinking?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Tea! I swear – just tea!</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You better behave, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she snarks in her mind at her husband, glass of delicious amber liquid in front of her. It tastes so ridiculously good, she wants to enjoy every moment of her fall into a blackout stupor.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His amusement is tangible. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You drink the liquor; I’ll drink the water. Let’s see if our bodies behave the way our minds do and synch up. I’d rather not have to have a headache the size of the moon, if I can help it.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A grin unfolds on her face, interested in nothing more than this potential science experiment… until she realizes that all three women are looking at her strangely.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah’s lips are pursed. “Are you doing the thing?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The new woman’s eyes flit to the beautiful almost-Amazon. “The thing? What’s ‘the thing’?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ariani smirks, rolling the stem of her glass between her fingers and casting a knowing stare. “Ohhh, she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely </span>
  </em>
  <span>doing ‘the thing’.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t be jealous,” Rey scoffs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah snorts an ugly sound. “I’m not jealous at all. Absolutely not.” She passes her hands in a criss-cross gesture in the air. “If Finn were in my mind every standard minute of every standard hour – I’d kill him. Or me. Likely both of us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>‘the thing’?”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Hana is still blinking at them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey grins, shimmying a little bit with pride. “Master Solo and I share everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Like a brain,” Jannah grunts out pleasantly, getting a bubbly giggle out of the bride-to-be.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“More than that,” Rey hardens her gaze slightly, disliking having their bond minimized. “We feel each other’s feelings.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana ruffles her hand through her bobbed hair and sighs. “Man, wouldn’t that make everything simpler. The only time I know what ‘General Poe Dameron’,” she insults him with the tone of her voice, putting his name in air quotes, “is feeling is when we’re having sex.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben snorts in his hot tea from far away, and the back of Rey’s nose burns a bit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then he’s all,” Hana lowers her voice, mocking, “I feel so good right now; do you </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel as good as I do…? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Why don’t you tell me </span>
  <em>
    <span>like a good girl?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>She winks at them all. “He’s very open and sharing when he’s all up inside me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey’s face is aflame… and she’s not the only one. Jannah stutters, trying to come up with an appropriate response – but…? How…? What…? Just…? The ladies of the First Order blanch, and Rey takes an overlarge swig of her drink, not even trying to hide her blatant curiosity from her husband.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana looks at them all in turn, a sly smile crossing her lips. “What? You ladies don’t do girl talk?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey chokes out, “Girl talk is </span>
  <em>
    <span>sex </span>
  </em>
  <span>talk?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah and Ari’s heads fling in Hana’s direction, looking for validation. The woman cracks up, pretending to wipe imaginary tears from her eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ohh – you poor warriors. You missed out on the simple joys of life.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah sets her jaw and Rey can see irritation in her body language. The new woman thwaps her arm playfully, though, softening her up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Now, now. I mean that with love. Call me Big Sister. I’ll teach you alllll about girl talk. Why don’t I start, and we’ll go around in a circle?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The three others cast wary glances at each other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben is smug on the other line. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Be sure to tell them how good I am, baby.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>How do I know? </span>
  </em>
  <span>she teases, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I have no other experience.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Neither do I – but I don’t need it to know that you’re mind blowing.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She’s doing ‘the thing’ again, isn’t she?!” The interloper cuts off Rey’s internal conversation, making her look around at others, innocently.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” and she takes another sip, letting the feeling warm up her insides in the nicest of ways.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not the -nicest- of ways… I can think of a few -nicer- ways.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ben, be quiet, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she rolls her eyes, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m going to enjoy some Girl Talk.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She can feel him settle in and get ready to listen to the show.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana clears her throat. “Nothing we say here leaves this room. That’s rule one of girl talk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Too late, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben retorts, and Rey hides her slightly tipsy smile.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rule number two – this is a place where we can talk about anything and everything. No judging. ‘Kay?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All the girls nod in agreement, eyes like saucers and chomping at the bit to hear what the self-important Poe Dameron is like in bed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Coughing into her fist, the woman starts. “Poe is completely dominant. He wants to be The Boss, </span>
  <em>
    <span>all the time. </span>
  </em>
  <span>But, that being said, he’s kind of vanilla about it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah tips her head to the side, not catching the reference.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t get me wrong,” Hana waves her hands emphatically, “He’s not bad. But – I think he wants to be bossy just so he can get what he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>really </span>
  </em>
  <span>after. He wants me to praise him.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ariani’s squints like she doesn’t understand. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Praise him?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Barking out a laugh, Jannah grins. “Well, that’ll be a short session. I mean – you run out of things to say, don’t you? It's </span>
  <em>
    <span>Poe.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You learn to get creative.” Hana shrugs cutely, but then opens her lips, putting on a breathy, moaning voice that lights Rey’s face up like a red star. “Oh, Poe, you’re so big. Strong, and Handsome – how, ah, did I, uhh, ever get so </span>
  <em>
    <span>lucky!”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The sounds catch everyone by surprise, all jaws dropping in shock. Ben is deeply uncomfortable and considers tapping out, but Rey holds him tight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t you dare leave me alone with whatever this is.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I – I just… I’m never going to look at him the same! How the hell do I come back from this? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey has to bite her lip to keep from grinning.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But he also likes me to do what I’m told, so if he wants me to crawl, I crawl. If he wants me to beg, I beg.” She shrugs as if it’s no biggie.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ari seems stunned into silence. Jannah drops her head towards the floor, curling into herself in embarrassment. Rey tips her glass up for one more swig to wipe the humor from her face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“...Finn likes to be whipped.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“PTHTHTH!!” Rey blows out her drink violently and, on the other side of the bond, Ben does </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly</span>
  </em>
  <span> the same with his tea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nearly ashamed, but somehow proud of herself at the same time, Jannah ignores Rey’s outburst. “It’s like – he was so used to being pushed around in the ‘Order, I think he misses not having to be in control all the time. So – when you talked about begging… </span>
  <em>
    <span>he begs.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey wants to cover her ears and cry. She thinks Ben must be hiding his eyes in horror.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But I like it – I make him call me Mistress.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And, with that one word, Rey’s terror turns into something </span>
  <em>
    <span>else. </span>
  </em>
  <span>A bit of a flare lights up in her belly and Ben pays </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediate </span>
  </em>
  <span>attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>You -do- like that sort of stuff, don’t you? </span>
  </em>
  <span>he muses, trying to use memories of his wife to distract himself from the rest of the conversation. Rey hushes him internally, ears open and focused on Jannah’s words.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I push him down and – Finn doesn’t want to be praised, no sir. He wants to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>insulted.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ari swallows air in a gulp. “Like… like how?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A smug look blooms over Jannah’s face and she raises her eyebrows suggestively. It’s obvious that she’s imagining… or remembering… something she likes. “Like, ‘You’re horrible, aren’t you? Look at those accuracy scores! You’re trash. You’ll never get out of sanitation.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And then I’ll push him on the bed, stand above him, and hold him down under my heel. ‘You want to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>reconditioned, don’t you?’ </span>
  </em>
  <span>And he’ll get this deep voice and say, ‘No, Mistress.’</span>
</p>
<p><span>“The look in his eyes gets, like, desperate. Afraid and on fire</span> <span>all at once...” She leans her head back, shaking it slightly and taking a soft sip of her drink. “It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”</span></p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Ben? Would you… submit like that?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s like she can feel his smirk. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Do you want me to call you my Empress, again?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey makes a small sound.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Do you want me to tell you I’ll do -anything- for you, my Queen?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Heat lights up her veins and settles its sensation between her legs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ariani speaks up, timid, and all eyes go to her in keen interest. “Ciel… well… he’s the opposite of you, J. He – he’s the most caring thing I’ve ever experienced.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben scoffs, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I bet he cries, too.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He just tells me how much he loves me, compliments me constantly – and sometimes… sometimes he gets so emotional. He actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>cries.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Called it! </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben bursts out in laughter on his side. Rey has to put her hand over her mouth to stifle his amusement, feeling inebriation start to take hold of both of them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She still orders a third drink, though.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He tells me how beautiful I am, how </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>I feel. He touches me anywhere – </span>
  <em>
    <span>everywhere – </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he doesn’t stop until I’m… done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana probes with a wicked grin. “Done?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ariani blushes madly, flicking her eyes down between her legs. “You know… </span>
  <em>
    <span>done.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They all laugh a bit at that, nodding their heads in understanding.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s so </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>at it – I just have no idea how he got so </span>
  <em>
    <span>good!</span>
  </em>
  <span>”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s the prostitutes, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey states blandly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Oh, definitely the prostitutes, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben agrees. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She should thank us for kick-starting his libido again after all those years.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey toasts her friend’s ignorance and takes another sip.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana is dreamy-eyed. “It sounds like he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>worshipping </span>
  </em>
  <span>you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey feels a flare of something on her husband’s side, this time. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Do you like that idea, Ben? Would you like me to worship you?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She feels him harden and it just </span>
  <em>
    <span>does </span>
  </em>
  <span>something to her, her arousal spiking at the same time. Her lips quirk but she hides it beneath another sip – teetering on the edge of drunk – but not quite there. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I have an idea.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He is all willingness.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>What if we were to… play like this? What if we gave this kind of stuff a try to see what it does for us? Like… explore.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His yes doesn’t need to come in words, she feels it all through her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>When can you get out of there? </span>
  </em>
  <span>It sounds like a plea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Not soon enough, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she answers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rey, your turn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s so startled that she doesn’t even register who’s talking to her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah leans over, forearms on her thighs. “Yes, absolutely your turn. I’ve been wanting to know about your man since long before he was your man. Is he massive?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey tips her head, confused. “You know how tall he is. Two meters, maybe?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even Ben laughs at her. She gets the joke only at that </span>
  <em>
    <span>exact </span>
  </em>
  <span>moment and covers her face in embarrassment.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, how big is normal? What are yours like when they're... you know... <em>up?”</em> she can’t help but ask.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana holds up a certain size, Jannah’s larger and Ariani matching that. Everyone can’t help but eye Hana’s hand gesture and notice that it’s significantly smaller.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seriously?” Ari asks, sarcastic.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana just shrugs. “Meh. He’s a big deal in the community, so why not?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey sputters a laugh. “Yeah, why don’t you tell </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>that. Evidently he’ll like it.” She knits her eyebrows and cinches her eyes shut, taking on a similarly moan-y voice. “Oh! Poe! You’re such a… a… Big Deal! You might have a small man-part – but you’re still such a </span>
  <em>
    <span>BIG DEAL!</span>
  </em>
  <span>” and it results in peals of laughter. Ben is about to die of humor inside her and it’s all she can do not to slap her knee.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jannah wipes at her eyes. “Okay, okay – so…” she holds her fingers in a circle, gesturing in a suggestive up and down motion. “Your turn, Jedi girl.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey sets down her glass primly, circles her fingers until she has something that looks like the right girth and holds her hand above it to signify length.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All the women’s eyes open wide and Ben preens.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Does – does it </span>
  <em>
    <span>hurt?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey shakes her head rapidly. “No! He’s never hurt me! I’m not sure he </span>
  <em>
    <span>can.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I feel what he feels.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All eyes are on her, completely rapt in attention.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stumbles a little, trying not to slur her words. “It’s like, whatever he feels in his body – I feel in mine, too. I could be…” she looks at Ari, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“done </span>
  </em>
  <span>even without him ever even touching me. Or me touching myself. All I have to do is let myself feel is his pleasure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hana scoots forward in her chair, to the point of almost falling off it. “And does he feel yours?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey closes her eyes and leans back in pleasant memories. “Ohh, yes. It’s the same for him. And – when we’re both feeling it the same time, it’s like my whole body is electric. I’m on fire. I’m dying. I’m outside myself. I can’t even explain. It’s so overwhelming and I… I just </span>
  <em>
    <span>scream.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And so does he... he has this deep, </span>
  <em>
    <span>gruff </span>
  </em>
  <span>voice when he’s lost in the feeling of us. He tells me that I’m his, that he’s mine. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>grunts </span>
  </em>
  <span>and pants and whispers and says the word </span>
  <em>
    <span>please </span>
  </em>
  <span>over and over until I can’t hear anything else. Until that word and our emotions are all that exists. All I ever </span>
  <em>
    <span>need </span>
  </em>
  <span>to have exist.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey’s eyes snap open and she realizes she’s clenching her legs together and gripping the arms of the chair suggestively.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So are the others.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The hormones raging through this room are unbearable and Ben is </span>
  <em>
    <span>this close </span>
  </em>
  <span>to touching himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Come home, baby. Come home -right now-.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“D-does anyone mind if I go home?” Rey squeaks.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Everyone gestures to the door in unison, looking at her with saucer-wide eyes and dropped jaws.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Were we projecting, Ben?</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t care. Doesn’t matter. Get home, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he commands.</span>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can try to boss her around, now – but just wait. Rey’s going to ensure </span>
  <em>
    <span>she’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>the one who will enjoy that pleasure in the end; just as soon as she gets home, in fact. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’ll</span>
  </em>
  <span> be the one who demands and commands. </span>
  <em>
    <span>He’ll </span>
  </em>
  <span>be the one who obeys. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s racing down the stairs in clipped steps and the valets are ordering her a transport before she even reaches the exit.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A benefit of posh places.</span>
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>She throws the door open and he’s on her in mere moments, launching into the enticing process of shredding her clothes off. Once he releases her shoulders, he uses the wrappings to pull her in, pinning her against him as he works his mouth furiously against hers. He wantswantswants – but remembers the game and backs off slowly, releasing her from his desperate grasp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he breaks away, she’s half-lidded and lustful. Her lips are parted slightly, and his mind narrows down on what he’d like to </span>
  <em>
    <span>push inside</span>
  </em>
  <span> that mouth – but there are new interesting ways to play, tonight.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So,” he intones, stroking her bottom lip and tugging it ever so slightly down, her expression alluring. “How do you want to do this? Who do you want to be? Who do you want </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>to be?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes squint, a smirk teasing her lips as she pretends to consider. “Why don’t you let me be Poe? I want you to praise me, and I want to… tell you what to do.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dominate me?” he scoffs just a bit, though he’s ready to let it happen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her voice drops and she looks away, shyly. “Then, you can be Jannah and boss </span>
  <em>
    <span>me </span>
  </em>
  <span>around. Go from submitting to me to… being rough with me, I guess.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He reaches around behind her, gripping her rump and tugging her firmly into him, proving his capability in that area and earning a small giggle-gasp for his efforts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Then, </span>
  <em>
    <span>then, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben,” she caresses her smiling lips over his, but not in a kiss. It’s just so he can feel her whisper the words, “Let me worship you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He could bite her; he feels so ravenous in this moment. She is the one who laid down </span>
  <em>
    <span>all </span>
  </em>
  <span>the rules – yet somehow, he feels that he has complete power. It’s her scenario – but he gets to decide how well he plays along. He gets to see if he can do it </span>
  <em>
    <span>just right. </span>
  </em>
  <span>An interesting challenge, and it sends a predatory look to his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As you say… </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mistress.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The look she gives him is worth remembering. She sinks her teeth into her bottom lip slightly, already in character when she demands, “Say it again.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>“Yes, </span><em><span>Mistress.</span></em><span> I’m yours. I’ll do anything</span> <span>you ask.”</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Anything?” she softly taunts.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Simply, “Yes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She grabs his collar and tugs him close, teasing his mouth with hers again. “Then strip,” she orders.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It makes the Darkness in him rise perfectly. He releases her to jab his fingers into the waistband of his loose night clothes and-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But do it slowly, my pet. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Slow.” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Her voice is sultry. Filled with excitement, yet yearning to drag this experience out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Which is exactly what he wants. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Turning away, he starts with just his shirt, drawing the silken cloth in ripples over his body. He takes his time, slowly rolling his shoulders once he gets it off – emphasizing the muscles in his back and the deep line of his spine, traveling down his body like a seam.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t look at himself – not really. Cursory at most; he never really likes what he sees. Unless, of course, he sees himself through </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> eyes. With her filter. Her Rey-colored glasses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From her perspective, he looks like a statue. Like a God. Like something feral and fragile all at once. In her eyes, he becomes something beautiful. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He slips his hands down his sides slowly, agonizingly extending the length of the motion, feeling his ribs with an unfamiliar intimacy. Instead of pulling his pants down, he runs his fingers under the fabric and over the harsh angles of his backside. He pretends his hands are hers and grips at himself, knowing his gesture is very visible under his thin, tight clothes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m so lucky to be the one to please you, Mistress.” He turns to face her, sliding a single hand down the front of his pants and taking a hold of what’s there – hidden, but completely obvious. “A woman as beautiful as you – you could have </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He strokes himself just once. He’s not a hundred percent hard but he’s making his way, and his tight grip certainly helps in that regard. He locks eyes with her, sliding just the tip of his tongue smoothly across his lips and running his fist over himself once more, hard and slow. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyelids dip as she feels his pleasure, her chest rising and falling more quickly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re gorgeous,” he whispers. Removing his hands to take hers, he leads her to an oversized chair stuffed with softness, guiding her to sit. When she does, he drags her palms over his abdomen. Clenching his jaw and stomach at the same time, he hardens himself for her in all places, enjoying the sight of her mooning over every hill and valley of his body.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met. Determined, dedicated.” He feathers his grip over hers, pushing her over the jut of his hips, then tugging her back to his lower belly and the dark line of hair that leads down, down, </span>
  <em>
    <span>down.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never met a single person who didn’t want you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Need </span>
  </em>
  <span>you. Just like I need you, Mistress.” Shifting her hand over the hardness that lay under his silken pants, he makes sure to let out a soft sigh of desire. “Can you feel how much I need you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She swallows and nods, firming up his opinion that </span>
  <em>
    <span>she</span>
  </em>
  <span> may have called the shots, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>he’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> the one in control.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He abandons her fingertips against him, just to see what they do on their own. In the meantime, he plays with his waistband again – pulling it down slowly over one hip while tipping himself ever-so-slightly to ride against her palm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mm, Mistress – I think about you when you’re not with me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He pushes down the hem at his back, exposing his rear, hissing in air through his nose as he stares down into her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think about that beautiful mouth and the miraculous things it’s done to me. I think about that body and how I die a little every time I see you with nothing on but moonlight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her hand closes slightly over his length and he lets out a whimper, shuttering his eyes. An unexpected heat coats him in sensation and he looks down to find her hovering, breathing out her hunger over the last soft scrap that shields him. Her tongue flicks over it and he can feel the satin on his tastebuds the same way he feels her hot pressure ride the ridge of him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sexy. She thinks he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>sexy, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he’s more than pleased to overhear it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He finishes what he was told to do, sliding the rest of the fabric off and letting it pool at his feet. “Was that slow enough for you, Mistress?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her eyes snap to his, but only for a moment. After that, they drift down his body like raindrops, sliding over and into every surface.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes. You did well, pet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He tsks at her. “You don’t need to praise me, my lady.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he traps her in his heavy gaze, he leans down, passing the warmth of his hands just over her skin – not actually touching her – just </span>
  <em>
    <span>suggesting. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Promising, maybe. Lighting a fire within.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You only need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>command </span>
  </em>
  <span>me, Mistress. I need you to completely </span>
  <em>
    <span>dominate</span>
  </em>
  <span> me.</span>
  <em>
    <span> Own </span>
  </em>
  <span>me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ohh, his blood sings with lust – and it’s all hers. Her mind is reeling down a list of possible to-dos. So many options, so, </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>many options.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Too many options.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Like… like when you go to a restaurant and their menu is too big. Everything looks so good – but you just can’t find a </span>
  <em>
    <span>favorite… </span>
  </em>
  <span>so you just flip pages back and forth and back and forth until you finally select something and immediately suffer buyer’s remorse. Like, ‘Why did I get the salaaaaaaad?!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yes, Rey is having analysis paralysis as he stands naked before her – pulling the opposite of a ‘blank’. She’s completely overwhelmed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Ben to the rescue.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He drops down onto his knees, pressing licks over her fingerprints. Little flecks and flicks. But he can’t think – he keeps getting confused because she’s running through so many half-assed commands that he can’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>concentrate.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay – dead end,” he grumps, standing and lifting her in the air over his shoulder, slapping her playfully on the backside. When she squeaks, he shrugs beneath her. “You were taking too long.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You didn’t give me enough time!” she insists.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He plops her onto the bed with a bounce and stands over her, his lower heat seeking her nearby mouth. “Tell me, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mistress</span>
  </em>
  <span> – how long should I have waited for you to make up your mind?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She stammers, so he grabs the back of her head, fingers curling into her hair and leveraging it to roughly tip her chin up, forcing her to look into his eyes instead of what lies straight ahead. He sounds nearly dangerous. “My turn.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His palm presses against her throat and urges her down to lay flat on the bed. He cocks an eyebrow, affirming, “I’m Jannah now, yes?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Rey swallows and he can feel it under his hold on her. “Yes. And I’m F-“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh, shh, shh-“ he hushes her rapidly. “We don’t have to say it out loud.” He bends over her, pulling his bare knees up onto the bed. “We nevvvver have to say it out loud…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His grip tightens as he kisses her. For what-might-be the millionth time in his life, he kisses her – though he already aches for a million more. His tongue lashes hers like a punishment, then caresses it like a treasure. Tugging at her bottom lip with his teeth, he decides on his first statement of cruelty. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You. You’ll always be just a filthy scavenger, completely unworthy of a man like me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her heart hitches in her chest, but not because she liked it. Panicking, he softens his touch immediately, but her eyes harden. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No. Keep trying – maybe it gets better.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Eyebrows knit, he nods – firming up his hold again, mounting her but sitting straight – trying to overpower. Trying to control. Trying to remember how to make his eyes cruel. All he can think about is Snoke and he starts to tremble.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re only useful as a weapon. </span>
  <em>
    <span>My </span>
  </em>
  <span>weapon. And you’re a poor one, at that. If you can’t be bent to my will, then you’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>useless. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I refuse to keep a tool I can’t use.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He’s disgusted with himself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t,” he collapses onto her, tucking his head into the curve of her neck. “Please, don’t make me. I hate this. I don’t want to do this." </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It’s her turn to shush him as he weakens in her arms. Her hands wrap over him and she caresses up and down. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t mean it,” his voice muffles against her.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Shh, shh, I know.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He sounds so pathetic. “I meant all the </span>
  <em>
    <span>other things.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can hear her smile as she asks, “The ‘Mistress’ things?” He nods against her childishly in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She turns to face towards him, placing kisses on the side of his ear, her voice a soft balm to the wounds in his heart. “My turn, now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He shakes his head, burying his face in the pillow beneath them. “Absolutely no worship. I refuse your worship.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A giggle fills the air with something much nicer but he’s too tense to hear it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With a quick thrust, she flips them over, her on top. He’s not ready for any action – not by a long shot – and has trouble meeting her eyes. The backs of her fingers caress his cheek as he burns with self-loathing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you,” is all she says, and it makes his eyes fog up a little. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She leans over him, peppering his hairline with the soft presses of her lips. She braces herself on one hand and uses the other to run fingers through his hair, pushing it back from his forehead so she can rain down her forgiveness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you,” she repeats, melting him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>you, Ben Solo.” It’s like her words heal. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Kylo Ren,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he knows she’s in every fiber of his being. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Giving in, he slides his hands up her back and pulls her down into an embrace, his mind echoing devotion back at her in a way his words never could. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sitting them up, she moves off his exposed lap. “Turn around,” she smiles sweetly. “I want to do something.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He eyes her warily, but won’t argue. Pointing himself toward the wall of this unfamiliar room, he notes the intricate wood sculptures in the surface; a nice distraction from the latest idiot move in a lifetime of idiot moves. Rey shifts behind him and he can hear her shuffling around, likely removing her clothes, even though every inch of interest in his body has died. When her thumbs firmly caress the muscles in his shoulders, though? He can’t help but hum a bit in surprise, closing his eyes and submitting immediately to whatever beautiful thing she’s doing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s called a ‘massage.’ I got one today, but it was too hard, so I didn’t like it. I’ll be nicer with you.” Her fingers squeeze into something that feels like a rock under his skin. “This is a knot,” she instructs, wailing on it too hard and making him bristle. “Sorry, sorry! Gentle…” she reminds herself.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>What follows next is just complete bliss. Her hands work him and he thinks this must be what heaven is like. He can’t even see her, yet he still knows she’s adorable right now. Knows that her face is likely pursed in concentration as she mathematically devises how hard to squeeze. She dives down under his shoulder blades, giving a little love to his magic itchy spot, pressing kisses against his skin – and it’s just perfect. He feels like purring, especially when her fingernails start skritch-scratching their way over his scalp.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sitting up high on her knees behind him, she pulls his head back against her. Somewhere in his mind, he registers the fact that he’s resting on her bare breasts, but is more absorbed in the feeling of her fingertips swirling around his temples and across the ridges of his eyebrows. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Quick learner, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he tells her – completely unable to articulate better praise at this moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She giggles and presses her smile to the crown of his head. “I learned enough for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>anyway.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That, you absolutely have,” he agrees, moaning out a different kind of pleasure as she strokes his stress away. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She works her way down again, but it becomes a bit different. She starts pressing open mouthed kisses against him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re so beautiful,” she whispers – and he scoffs. Another kiss with a soft suckle quiets him, though. “Sometimes, I can’t take my eyes off of you. It’s like you’re the only thing that exists.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He rocks his head back as she continues to slide her mouth over the curve of his neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You are so overwhelming. Your voice sends shivers through me; I can’t explain it. I want whatever you want, whenever you want it.” She sucks a little harder and his interest perks up again, following hers, her tongue making warm wet circles against him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need you – and not just your body. I need your </span>
  <em>
    <span>soul, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben Solo.” Her fingers make trails down his spine and he arches. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She’s seducing him – and doing it perfectly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I need your beautiful,” kiss, “complicated,” suckle, “sweet soul. It’s essential to me. You’re my </span>
  <em>
    <span>air. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Way beyond need, Ben – you are my </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Baby…” he trails off in fantasy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He </span>
  <em>
    <span>wants </span>
  </em>
  <span>again, now. But he’s torn between wanting to stop her and wanting this to go on forever. She slips her hands around his waist, trailing her pert nipples over his back and stroking her fingers down his thighs, nearing the most sensitive parts of him, but not actually touching there. Touching everywhere </span>
  <em>
    <span>else.</span>
  </em>
  
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If there’s anything I’ve learned – it’s that: what makes you </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>is why I need you. Why I love you. Why you have to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>mine.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> She says that last bit possessively, her kisses becoming nips and he has to bite the inside of his cheek to try to keep silent. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, no,” she runs her hands over his chest. “I want to hear you. When you make noises for me, it makes me so… wet.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He lets out a lust filled curse, imagining her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>“So </span>
  </em>
  <span>wet. If you were to touch me now? You’d know. You’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>feel </span>
  </em>
  <span>it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>All of a sudden, he’s overwhelmed with the need to find out just how much truth she’s telling – but he knows what he’ll find. Rock hard now, he aches to be swallowed just as much as she aches to be filled. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll worship you, Ben – but not because it’s a game. I’ll worship you because I. Worship. You.” Her fingers crook into claws that slowly drag over him, leaving the ache of desire in pink trails on his skin. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It has to be you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Only </span>
  </em>
  <span>you. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Forever you.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he can’t hold back anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He spins around and slips his large hand over the back of her neck, bringing her in so he can take over her senses. He nuzzles, kisses, licks, bites – any way he can take advantage of her mouth, he does – filling her with his passion, his adoration, his devotion. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I love you,” he pants against her, sliding his hands over her breasts, sprawling his thumbs over the tips as she works her way back into his lap. He sends words of praise through the bond in rapid fire – filling her mind with trophies to hang around her ego as her wetness slips against him. He rides the space between their bodies, needy for her touch. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We don’t have to be anyone else, baby – I want us to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>us.” </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With one more arch of his hips, he slides home within her, tipping his head back to let her use his collar as a rein to set the pace. She’s rocking against him in sultry rhythms, her body grabbing him in ownership – just like they like. Their hearts beat in tandem; they breathe heavy sighs into each other’s mouths and roll their hips to create pleasure in cresting waves. He braces himself on his fists, clenching his rear to reach deeper into her. Into that delicious spot that his fingers always find. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When he hits it, they both break away in a moan, their bodies begging to find that place again so he can pump into it until they </span>
  <em>
    <span>scream. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His name is a chant in her mind, while his is filled with the white noise of pleasure. He leans back and presses his hips higher, grabbing at her flesh to guide her down, his length kissing the deepest parts of her, bottoming out as he begins to beg. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want this. I want us. Please, baby, always; always.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her cries pick up as she calls back. “Mine, Gods, you’re mine. Always and forever,” he hits her just right and she gasps, constricting around him, calling out and curling his toes with her pleasure. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t stop,” is the only phrase falling from her lips now, his pace picking up as he slams his hips up, yanking her down on him mercilessly, grunting his effort, their bodies singing the song of exhilaration. Of absolute love and lust and belonging.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When she comes, he doesn’t stop – he painfully holds back from his own precipice to make it last until she’s sobbing on top of him, the heel of her hand pressed firmly onto her mouth to keep her from wailing the house down. His noises are violent as flips her, relishing in the furious last thrusts he gets, plunging into her body and rocketing into ecstasy... though he doesn’t let </span>
  <em>
    <span>that </span>
  </em>
  <span>stop him, either. He rides out the whole experience, slapping skin against skin until they’re both trembling, breathless, and wordless. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And Home. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t remove himself, he just falls onto her, a crushing weight – but he can’t leave, she doesn’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>want </span>
  </em>
  <span>him to leave, so he just kisses her instead; sweet and slow. They’re flooded with a shared afterglow and it’s her eyes glistening with tears now. He softly wipes them away with his calloused thumbs, understanding how intense it can be between them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Staring at her like the Goddess she is, reverence filling him to the brim, he calls her name. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Rey?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sniffles and falls into his gaze. Her hazel eyes are filled with his reflection as he searches for the right words – finally landing on:</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think I like being worshipped.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is only the briefest pause.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She bursts into laughter, him following immediately. They laugh until they’re forced to disengage. He rolls off to flop onto the mattress with his knees to his chest in sniggers; she’s off in snorts, clapping her hands over her mouth, uselessly. Their sides already hurt and grins overtake their faces. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Yes, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey pushes into his mind. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes </span>
  </em>
  <span>–</span>
  <em>
    <span> you absolutely do.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>It should have been obvious, </span>
  </em>
  <span>he admits through his hysterics.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She agrees wholeheartedly, </span>
  <em>
    <span>I mean </span>
  </em>
  <span>–</span>
  <em>
    <span> look at the course of your life! This is your M.O.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I know, like, how did we not figure this out on our own, already? </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They’re rolling and weeping in manic laughter, their amusement compounding. It takes much more than a few minutes for them to settle down to only sporadic bursts and chuckles – but it’s fantastic. He can’t help but love his life again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His precious, </span>
  <em>
    <span>precious </span>
  </em>
  <span>life. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turns to his side, delight in his every expression, and just enjoys her. Every inch of her. Just like he’ll do from now until forever. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Time to make sure she knows he’ll worship </span>
  <em>
    <span>her,</span>
  </em>
  <span> too...</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Because he already has for a long time.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p>
<p>I was <em>gonna</em> do this image… but I ran out of time. Ain’t nobody got time to do a whole bar scene!</p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Okay, Okay - so in Enoleddmedia’s latest smut chapter of “Ky Solo Needs a Nerd” - feral dark Kylo says the words, “Fucking worship me” during sex and I… I… </p>
<p>(Fans self.) </p>
<p>I was already planning on devotion, but I added the word “worship” because I wanted to inspire at least a tenth of what <b>-that word-</b> in <em>-that context-</em> did to me.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Why does this Suck so Much? (Ciel’s Wedding Blues)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p><p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3 </p><p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="center">
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  </p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p><b>Where</b>: Zazpi - Rainforest, ocean and desert</p><p><b>Time:</b> A2D, BS (After Second Death, Before Starlight)</p><p><b>Tags:</b> Marriage, Romance, Tattoos, Mild angst, Mild hurt/comfort</p><p><b>POV:</b>  Ciel / Ben</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“Why does this <em> suck so much!?” </em>Ciel can’t help but yell into the ether of the Grand Ballroom space, his echo making all those who bustle around halt in surprise. The soldier doesn’t even notice; his hands are over his eyes and he’s walking with groaning steps as Tuar, Jade, Ben, and Finn all follow along in solidarity.</p><p>Ben nods gently at the people assisting in preparations, both empathizing with them and wordlessly letting them know it’s okay to carry on and ignore the fool who paces back and forth with pre-wedding jitters.</p><p>Tuar is throwing curses in its native tongue. It hates walking, and the fact that this member of the Council is willing to set legs on land <em> at all </em> is testament to the relationship it’s built with Ciel over the years. “General – I do believe you’re overthinking this.”</p><p>Ciel’s assistant, Jade, rushes beside him. As an ex-trooper who’d once served under him in the ‘Order, her job has involved trying to make him see reason for many years. “It doesn’t have to be this hard! Why do you have to <em> make everything so hard!?” </em></p><p>Finn and Ben look at each other, rolling their eyes. Everyone in this room should know by now that Master Solo’s second-in-command is nothing if not <em>theatrical.</em> For him, doing things the hard way is like breathing.</p><p>Finn mutters, “I don’t remember all this heavy planning for my wedding.”</p><p>Agreeing completely, Ben adds, “Mine either.”</p><p>Whipping around, having caught their snark, Ciel points at them respectively. “YOU, Trash Man, had the whole thing arranged by Calrissian – don’t you dare deny it! And <em> you,” </em> he sasses Ben quietly, so none of the staff overhears, “Yours doesn’t count.”</p><p>“You know what? I’m not going to let you minimize the crap I went through,” Finn cuts in, his hackles rising. “The <em> event </em> was easy – but getting the <em> permission </em>was near impossible! Do you know how hard I had to try to get my father-in-law to believe I’m not a gambling drunk?!”</p><p>Ben shrugs. “Takes one to know one. He does try to hustle you; you bet like a fool and are <em> often </em>inebriated, if memory serves.”</p><p>Finn waggles his finger in the Monarch’s direction with narrowed eyes. Ciel can only assume the gesture is silently saying something like, ‘Shut your damn mouth – you’re the reason I drink in the first place.’</p><p>“Know what?” Finn shrugs, “Not doing this – just, nope. Not. You can drive yourself crazy – be my guest. Enjoy it. Roll in it, for all I care – but I’m going to-“</p><p>“Drink?” Ben supplies, mischief in his eyes.</p><p>“I hate you,” Finn reminds, making groom-to-be break into his first laugh of the day, releasing some of his tension.</p><p>“Okay, okay – alright – I get it,” the soldier lifts his hands in the air in surrender. “You guys are sick of me. Fine. So, go with God, or whatever. The Masterful Master Solo and I will handle this on our own.”</p><p>The Jedi leans away, scoffing. “Me?”</p><p>Hands on his hips, “Yes, <em> you. </em> Best man, <em> you.” </em></p><p>Flipping its unfortunately finned limbs sloppily on the floor, Tuar can’t help but chip in, “You didn’t even know what a ‘Best Man’ was until you researched this archaic ceremony in the archives.”</p><p>“Made <em> me </em>research it in the archives,” Jade clarifies.</p><p>“Either way,” it continues. “Use my ocean, use my forests – all the flowers you can stand, General. But don’t use my patience.”</p><p>Ciel can’t help but gesture at himself and fake a whine. “But you love me.”</p><p>Huffing, “I lov-<em> ed </em> you. I can’t stand the thought of being your secret lover; I’m <em> entirely </em>too possessive. I have no choice but to let you go.”</p><p>“Do I make you cry, precious?” the soldier teases.</p><p>“Only every day,” it replies in jest. “I’ll cry as soon as I leave you now, in fact. My mouth says no, but my heart will forever say yes.”</p><p>Flirting is standard for their every interaction and it’s one of his favorite things. He’s glad they don’t fit together anatomically, or he never would have considered Ariani in the first place. Continuing on, Ciel gives no craps that everyone else is waiting for their banter to <em> end already, </em>so it's no surprise when Finn decides to take the initiative and peace out.</p><p>The man grumps an annoyed, “Done! I’m done! I’ve got too much work to do to waste time on this! Just try not to make yourself insane.” He starts walking away but turns over his shoulder in kindness. “But you’ve got this. I know you do.”</p><p>The heartfelt moments between Ciel and Finn always catch him by surprise, and they mean so much.</p><p>“Yeah?”</p><p>Finn smiles, completely sincere. “Yeah. You’re made for this...” but his inner asshole returns, “...and murdering. Also murdering.”</p><p>Scoffing, Ciel gestures at himself, “It’s called, Badassery!”</p><p>Laughing, Finn puts a hand up to signal goodbye and continues his stride away. Tuar decides to follow his lead, taking flopping steps towards the exit before Jade runs up and slips an arm through the Councilor’s, helping it stumble-walk back to its natural ocean habitat, just off the beach.</p><p>Ciel puffs up his cheeks and reaches for the back of his neck, still looking for the braid that isn’t there anymore, simmering with nervous anxiety. This is all just too much, honestly. Too much to plan with only a week left – and he won’t let Ari lift a <em> finger. </em> No, according to his self-inflicted ‘Book of Romance,’ she should just be able to waft in on the day and see what he’s done for her.  He hadn’t actually worked too hard (or long) to get her to marry him in the first place (he’s not even entirely sure why she <em> agreed) </em> so he’s got to compensate in some way. Make her happy. Make her feel like she’s not making a mistake.</p><p>Please, Gods, don’t let her be making a mistake.</p><p>His flaws pile up and he lets out another grunt of irritation before he feels his best friend sling an arm over his shoulder in comfort.</p><p>“So – what is it? Give me the tick-list of sadness.”</p><p>Where does he even start?</p><p>He rams his hand into his back pocket, making a face that must look constipated, dragging out his datapad and flicking open to a key screen. “Look at this,” is all Ciel can manage as he pops up the attendee roster, flicking his finger to scroll.</p><p>And scroll.</p><p>And scroll.</p><p>“Why the HELL do I need so many guests on my list, anyway!? I’m freaking out that I forgot someone!”</p><p>Ben’s mind seems to boggle, but not over the length of the list. “You’re the top-ranked General of a system and a <em>diplomat </em>– Force help us all – of course your list would be this big. But I have to ask, <em>why are you doing this?”</em></p><p>The man flaps his hand in the air, wildly. “Why do you <em> think </em> I’m doing this!? For the hell of it!? You think I just like <em> parties!?” </em></p><p>Ben grimaces, closing his eyes and shaking his head, holding up his palm in Ciel’s face to make him Just. Stop.</p><p>“No, no – not <em> why </em>are you doing this. Why are YOU doing this? You’ve got people. And your people have people. And your people’s people have people. You shouldn’t even be wasting your time looking at this! D. E. L. E. G. A. T. E.” he states in no uncertain terms.</p><p>Deflating a little, Ciel can’t help but feel self-conscious. “But… then it doesn’t count.”</p><p>Eyes wide, Ben shrugs at him with a lack of understanding.</p><p>“She won’t… she won’t think I tried hard enough.”</p><p>And it’s like he watches his best friend melt. His whole demeanor relaxes and he gets that soulful look in his eyes; the one only his inner circle ever really gets to see. It’s compassion, and he overflows with it, sometimes.</p><p><em> Sometimes. </em> When he (like Ciel) isn’t too busy being <strike> murder-y </strike> badass.</p><p>But the compassion doesn’t feel good right now. The groom-to-be rolls his shoulders in a huff, trying to <em> Soldier Up </em> and just do his duty. He sniffs roughly through his nose, but Ben pulls him closer, not letting him put his internal armor on.</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>“What?” Ciel grumbles.</p><p>“Remember what my wedding was like? This is <em> bound </em>to be better than mine.”</p><p>Ciel snorts; as if he’d ever forget that trainwreck.</p><p>  </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Ben feels like he’s about to pull the arms off his chair and beat the wall with them, he’s so wired. Ciel seems torn between wanting to say something and wanting to shut the hell up and walk away, but they both know it’s just nerves. ‘Master Ren’ is <em> not </em> about to go mental.</p><p>Hopefully.</p><p>But, seriously, what does he have to be nervous about? There are only, like, five people here. If he humiliates himself, the crowd is… limited.</p><p>The soldier tips his head out to see the veranda. It overlooks a patch of fruit trees. Aja fruits, actually; Rà had picked it – because, of course he did. In fact, you can hear his laughter over the slight breeze that ruffles everything.</p><p>“And you’re sure they’re coming?” Ben asks for the tenth time.</p><p>“Yes,” Ciel sighs, very tired of repeating himself. “Finn is bringing Miss Rey right back here after their fancy lunch. Calrissian will be all set to officiate before they get back.”</p><p>The overly large man swallows audibly. “And you don’t think she’ll be mad?”</p><p>Ciel scoffs. “What woman gets mad when a guy springs a wedding on her?”</p><p>And he is <em> not </em>being sarcastic. For all their many combined strengths, the men of the First Order can’t count wooing women as one of them.</p><p>A gurgle growl is heard outside as Chewie leans over the banister. The soldier tries to call back something reassuring in Shyriiwook, but he still sucks at it – so the Wookie just looks at him with an expression of annoyance.</p><p>“Is my accent off?” Ciel yells out the window. “My timing? What?”</p><p>But Ben’s uncle waves him off, moaning down at the kid again, telling him to get back up here – which makes Ben even <em> more </em>jittery (if such a thing is possible). It must be almost time.</p><p>“Look, look – it will be fine. Miss Rey loves you, right?”</p><p>Suddenly, Ben feels terrified. “What if she doesn’t?”</p><p>A sort of stunned expression washes over Ciel’s face. “You’re kidding, right? Like – you’re <em> joking, </em>right? I know for a matter-of-fact that that woman wants you for the rest of her life.”</p><p>Slightly reassured, but not nearly enough, he pathetically asks, “Yeah?”</p><p>Shaking his head, his friend just brings him in for a hug, clapping his hand on his back. “It’s okay, Ren. It’s gonna be ohhhhh-kay.”</p><p>“Maybe it should just be me and her – maybe I have too many people here. It might scare her off.”</p><p>“You kidding me?” the soldier’s voice is incredulous. “It won’t matter if it’s just the two of you, just the seven of us, or just a million people bowing down at your feet. The only thing she’s going to see is <em> you </em> and how much you love her. All this…” he waves around at the <em>literally </em> <em> nothing </em>they’d done besides pick an empty terrace, “this stuff doesn’t matter, Ren. </p><p>“What matters is that, the minute she sees you, the minute you tell her what this is? She’s gonna melt. She’s gonna turn into a little puddle on the floor. And then?” he grabs his friend and eases him out of their embrace. “Then you get to love her forever.”</p><p>Ben’s eyes are glassy and his lips are pursed, but he nods. Looking at the ground and obviously flooded with apprehension, he nods.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>“…And then what happened?” Ben goads.</p><p>Ciel rolls his eyes. “Eventually, she turned into a puddle and married you.”</p><p>The not-so-Jedi crosses his arms and quirks an eyebrow, smiling. “So?”</p><p>“So what?”</p><p>Shrugging, “At least Ariani knows what she’s here for. That’s one obstacle out of the way. We learned from <em> that </em>mistake.”</p><p>Ciel’s grin is wide, remembering. “Oh yeah, the look on Miss Rey’s face when you told her you were marrying her? Oh man, I thought she was either going to kill you, or die herself and ascend to heaven.”</p><p>Ben’s cheeks can’t help but tint a little pink at the memory of his wife’s surprise… and subsequent anger. Pulling himself from his reverie, “Okay – so, the guest list doesn’t matter, except in the sense that you can’t offend any of our allies by omitting them,” he shrugs. “So, pass it off to ensure accuracy and never look at it again. Next.”</p><p>Ciel mutters something unkind under his breath and brings up his next screen. “Look at all this damn food, Ben. <em> Look at this! </em>How am I supposed to finalize something when I’ve never even eaten half of this shit? With all the different delegates with their different palates and religions and requirements I just-“</p><p>“Again,” Ben cuts him off. “Why are you even looking at this? You know we have people who specialize in this, right? We <em>legitimately </em> <em> employ </em> people to provide this service.”</p><p>And now he's annoyed. “Look, I just want to make sure that this is done right. Not everyone in the Galaxy will eat anything that’s shoved in front of them.”</p><p>“Is that a dig at my wife?”</p><p>Ciel facepalms.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Rey is eyeballs deep in… muck? Ben is eyeing it warily, no idea what the hell it is, but she’s slurping up dark brown glop like it’s made of miracles.</p><p>After the ceremony, Chewie had carted them off to some back-alley situation where he knew they wouldn’t be recognized. The food, he <em> said, </em>was perfection but, looking at his wife’s cheeks covered in something akin to dirt, Ben can’t say he has much faith in his own dish.</p><p>Rey shoves her bowl in Finn’s face, eagerly asking him to ‘try it’ – and the man’s expression is truly one to tuck into your heart forever. Something between horror, feigned politeness, and overwhelming affection.</p><p>Ben must wear the same face when she shoves it at him next.</p><p>Unbothered, she sprinkles something on the top that looks like rice.</p><p>Until it moves.</p><p>And she eats it anyway.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Ben and Ciel both shudder at the memory.</p><p>“Somehow remembering that made me feel a bit better,” the solider muses, again reaching for the braid that’s no longer there. His new habit is to do that then twiddle his fingers uselessly, as if he could still play with it. A nervous tic that will take a while to die.</p><p>“Somehow remembering that makes me feel a lot worse,” Ben mumbles.</p><p>Eyebrows up, “Hmm? Why?”</p><p>His lips turning down into a deep frown, the Jedi admits, “You’re trying a lot harder than I did. I think that Ariani’s going to be stunned… and Rey’s going to feel…”</p><p>“Impressed by my awesomeness?”</p><p>“Slighted, maybe. Like she missed out on some grand thing. I mean – look at this,” Ben waves his arms around to the décor as it shapes up all around them. The staff is literally planting a fair selection of the world’s plant life within the ballroom.</p><p>Ciel loves flowers. The colors and scents open him up, making him imagine anything and everything he never got to experience in his life, like a sort of magic portal to an alternate reality. Because of this, his décor choices have practically painted the hall with them. They drip like honey over banisters in lilacs and magentas. They flourish up columns in ivy vines of yellow and gold. It’s tasteful and artful, and it perfumes the air with the scent of the nearby jungle. Between this and the ocean waves lapping just outside the open archway – this place is a fantasy.</p><p>“It’s beautiful. You can see that, right?”</p><p>The soldier crosses his arms. “Yeah, well – they’re missing the hanja fronds I wanted, but I have half a mind to go dig them up, myself.”</p><p>Ben quirks his lips. “Now, if only you could find the sense to decorate your own quarters.”</p><p>Ciel piffles, “Gods, no! That thing is spartan and perfect. Ari’s the same. Minimalist. Less stuff to clean up and less stuff to freak out about when it’s not in regulation order.”</p><p>Elbowing his friend in the chest, Ben scolds, “And when are you actually going to <em> move in </em>together? I hope some time in the next few days, considering…”</p><p>“The husband and wife thing? Yeah, well – you know Ari. She wants to be near the kids and I have absolutely no interest in staying anywhere in close quarters with more than forty demon spawn.”</p><p>There’s a loud snort from somewhere in the hall, and it didn’t come from Ben. Obviously someone on staff is tickled.</p><p>“I suggested that maybe we can live in our own apartments and just stay together on sex nights but…“</p><p>“Request denied?” </p><p>“One hundred percent denied.”</p><p>Ben laughs at him – even in front of all these people, and that says something. “That’s another thing we have people for, you know. Get you both set up, get your spartan décor in alignment. Nice and shiny and ready for inspection.”</p><p>“Shiny…” Ciel blanches, patting himself anywhere and everywhere. “The rings! Shit, Ben, I-“ but he cuts himself off, hands patting the right pocket and finding what they were looking for. Small golden bands lay in his hand and he lets go of the urge to vomit. If he’d lost these…</p><p>The Monarch leans over to inspect the rare metal. “That’s the verandium?”</p><p>Proudly, the groom-to-be shows off, squeezing one and lighting it aflame with rainbows of color. Once the heat of his touch wears off, it returns to its simple golden hue.</p><p>“When I wear mine, it tends to stay in the green color family. I’m told that means I’m a soothing kind of guy.”</p><p>Ben scoffs.</p><p>“What do you think Ari’s color will be?” the soldier can’t help but ask, gleeful.</p><p>Shrugging, “Does it matter?”</p><p>Snatching the rings out of the Jedi’s purview, he grumps. “Of <em> course </em>it matters. If she has red or black, that means we’re not compatible.”</p><p>“Aaaaaand a ring is going to tell you this? Not the fact that you fight all the time?”</p><p>“Shut up, we’re fine and they’re beautiful.” Sulking, Ciel plucks at them. “They're perfect for us. Not everyone is willing to stick needles in their fingers.”</p><p>Ben’s lips curl into a reminiscent smile. “Rey wasn’t either.”</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>“No! No…! <em> No! </em>You get that thing away from me!”</p><p>“Look, baby, it’s fine – see?” He waves the first few red dots embedded on his ring finger in front of her, proving he is neither dead nor maimed. “You’re the one who said that real rings don’t go well with sabers.”</p><p>She backs up and the Clawdite artist who’d been tasked with tattooing his wife blinks up at him, lost on how to proceed.</p><p>“I didn’t know you’d make me do something with <em> needles!” </em></p><p>Flabbergasted, “What did you think it would be?”</p><p>She fights with herself to find the right word, landing on, “Paint? Like… forever paint?”</p><p>The Clawdite, bless her heart, tries to help. “It <em> is </em> forever paint, ma’am – it just goes <em> under </em>the skin.”</p><p>To which Rey scrunches her whole body up with the heebie-jeebies, wincing at the mere thought and doing some kind of strange dance. Ben is staring at her with his mouth dropped wide open at first, but vindictiveness rises in him and he sits himself down heavily. He knows he’ll barely even feel this.</p><p>“Fine, Rey – you don’t have to do it. But <em> I’m </em> doing it. I’m going to show anyone who approaches me that I belong to someone. To you. So, if you don’t want to match me – fine. If you’re too ashamed to show yourself as paired with me, <em> fine. </em>But I’m doing this.”</p><p>He fans his hand out on the table and the artist he’d chosen swallows a little, put off by the whole situation. Ben tosses him an icy glance and the thing basically, ‘eeps’, diving down onto his ring finger and embedding more red under the pale surface of his skin.</p><p>Rey’s eyes go wide, a bit hurt by his innuendo. “I’m <em> already </em> paired with you – in my heart,” she tries to say softly. “That’s enough for me.”</p><p>He sits back in his chair, eyes locked on hers in challenge. “It’s enough for me, too. If you don’t want to do it – don’t do it. But <em> I’m </em> still doing it. As. You. Can. Plainly. See.”</p><p>She goes rigid, irritated by his stubbornness. “You know, I can love you without some stupid <em> mark </em>on me. Some needled, evil mark.”</p><p>He cocks an eyebrow. <em> Oh, so now my mark on you is -evil-? </em></p><p>She shakes a finger at him, “You know that’s not what I meant!”</p><p>They glare cooly at each other for a long minute; a battle of wills. Finally, grinding her jaw, Rey sits in the chair next to her tattoo artist and splays her fingers. He smirks, looking smug, and her scowl darkens. </p><p>She mutters, “I make way too many compromises when it comes to you.”</p><p>He’s happy to have won, grinning at her until she gives up and smiles back at him slightly.</p><p>When her wincing squeaks start up, they’re heard for the next hour and forty-five minutes until her wedding tattoo is fully engraved upon her.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Ciel can’t help but watch his friend’s eyebrow knit together as he presses his lips into a line.</p><p>“It’s a funny story. She and I laugh about it, now. But – I feel really outclassed here. I mean, looking at all this, seeing your proposal… ”</p><p>Proud, the soldier folds his hands behind his head. “Yeah, getting all the kids to sing her mom’s lullaby was pretty awesome, right? That memory of yours is a real lifesaver; I still can’t believe you remembered the whole thing after only hearing it once. That little number got me an in with the kids, not to mention that it really hit her sweet spot.”</p><p>“Plus, you did all that lighting…” Ben adds.</p><p>“And the birds, I know, but,” he shrugs. “You only fall in love once.” </p><p>Ciel’s expression falters, knowing better, and he gets a little sad. It catches him off guard, sometimes. Snapping himself out of it, the soldier narrows his eyes, realizing he has a gap in his knowledge.</p><p>“How did you propose to Miss Rey, again?”</p><p>Ben blinks, as if trying to remember. “Oh yeah – when she was dead, we had dream-sex for the first time and I told her that the next time we did it, she’d be my wife.”</p><p>He gawks at his best friend for a hot minute. “You did <em> what </em>now?”</p><p>At least Ben has the wherewithal to look ashamed. “It seemed right in the moment.”</p><p>“Maybe that’s something you should have <em> D. E. L. E. G. A. T. E. D.” </em>Ciel snarks, but he only gets a whap off the back of his head for his troubles. He glances around in annoyance but notices all the staff had somehow exited the room. </p><p>Good.</p><p>He doesn’t want to ruin his Cool Dude image.</p><p>“At least you wrote your own vows,” he tries to soothe.</p><p>But Ben’s head only dips deeper in shame. “Lando gave them to me.”</p><p>Ciel’s jaw can’t drop any lower.</p><p>Waving his hands, his friend cuts in, “He made some for Rey, too!”</p><p>The soldier puts his hands on his hips, “But she didn’t <em> use them!” </em></p><p>“Well,” Ben looks left and right, sort of cringing. “We caught her by surprise, you know. After, I found out she’d never heard of a wedding before. Didn’t even know the concept.”</p><p>He can’t help but feel shocked. “Even <em> I </em>remembered that much!”</p><p>Ben snarks, “Yeah, but you also got to live in a normal home in a normal town with a normal family until you were ten. You were lucky!”</p><p>And now Ben’s the one who gets baffed off the head.</p><p>After a short pause, “I deserved that.”</p><p>“Yes. Yes you did.”</p><p>They stare at each other in understanding before both breathe in sighs that match exactly.</p><p>“Well – fix it,” Ciel says, as if it was the most obvious thing. “Write vows for her. You didn’t give her a good proposal, a good wedding, a good… tattooing, or whatever – the least you can do is give her your promises now. Better late than never.”</p><p>Ben flicks his hair back, getting his fingers caught in his braids. The soldier inwardly grumbles that he’ll have to fix those before the ceremony. He'd like to think that the man would know how <em>not</em> to screw them up, after all these years - but, you know, reality.</p><p>The Jedi untangles his fingers and huffs, slightly. “I give her my love and promises all the time. Constantly. I’m surprised she’s not tired of me falling all over myself to show her how much I need her.”</p><p>Narrowing his eyes, the groom-to-be flutters his hands impatiently. “Fine. Whatever. Just… just… damnit, let me fix your hair.”</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Laying in bed that night, Ben stares at the ceiling while Rey drools beside him. One of her feet is slung over his ankle and he just stares into blankness.</p><p>Ciel’s right. He’d done everything wrong.</p><p>He had almost wanted to ask his uncles about how his mother and father had gotten married and use them as an example... but that would have made something sad out of what was supposed to be happy. His memories of his wedding (and everything that followed) are a joy to him, honestly. His treasures. They are completely flawed and <em> very much </em>him and Rey. Everything they do together is messy. But they still do it – and they do it well. </p><p>Even so, it grates him that a trooper put in the effort to sweep his partner off her feet and he didn't. Ben knows for a fact that all his best friend really had to do is say the words, “So, y’wanna…?” and it would have been a done deal - but, <em> no. </em>Ciel always has to make a production out of everything.</p><p>He feels more than a little irritated at his best friend for making him look so bad… before he reminds himself that <em> he </em>was the one who actually made himself look bad.</p><p>He turns to watch his wife sleeping, flopped out on the bed with wild hair and arms flung in awkward directions. He loves her so damn much that it draws an immediate smile. He has half a mind to wipe the spit from her face and kiss her awake…</p><p>But his brain sparks with another idea.</p><p>Ciel was right. He should write new vows. Or a new proposal. Or smash them both together into something that even CL-3337 would be proud of.</p><p>Sliding his foot gently out from under Rey’s, causing a heavy snort and a roll on her side, he sneaks out of bed and towards the suite’s office space just across the hall. Mid-step, a light flicks on and he turns his head fast to find his son tottering to the ‘fresher. Rà blinks at him blandly – more asleep than awake – rubs his eyes, and proceeds forward, not bothering to close the door. Amused, Ben listens to the sounds of water-hitting-water, a flush, notes that there is no handwashing, and watches the boy fumble his way blindly back to bed, flopping down with an ‘oof’.</p><p>The smile on Ben’s face is amazing, and the lines of his joy cut deep into his cheeks.</p><p>He sneaks himself all the way into the office and shuts the door quietly before turning on the interior light. It’s a good space; he likes his apartment here. The desk is solid – very unlike his First Order desks. This is stone, cool to the touch, and they’d pressed him actual paper – just like he likes. Rough and thick, something that you can feel the weight of in your hands. </p><p>He takes out his datapad before his quill, wanting to type up the wording just right before he tries to actually script it. He sets up, sits up, and… </p><p>…stares.</p><p>The cursor mocks him with its blinking line.</p><p>He’s considering and thinking, thinking and considering; how does he say how he feels? Specifically, how does he say how he feels in a way he hasn’t already said it before? </p><p>He’s not one for writing poetry, but maybe he could do some research, find lines to match his feelings, cobble them together, and pray that they still make sense. Rey probably wouldn’t care about poetry, though.</p><p>Maybe he can make her something? Like – a droid! Get it to recite something sweet to her in binary! But no. Rey likes machinery the most when she gets to fix it.</p><p>So, maybe he breaks it! He makes it, sets it up, breaks it… and then adds a checkbox to her already insane task list: ‘Fix the Droid.’</p><p>He sighs.</p><p>His mind is spinning down a rabbit hole. What would she possibly like that she doesn’t have immediate access to? What could he possibly say that’s new? After four years of marriage and daily barrages of him loving/complimenting her, what’s left to say?</p><p>Should he make her coupons for dirty sex acts that she can redeem at will? Is that weird?</p><p>Should he write their love story down as a book and have Rà illustrate it?</p><p>Gods no. That child doesn’t need to be subjected to the fact that his father interrogated her, she sliced his face up, he stalked her and killed off a bunch of her allies, she stabbed him through the chest…</p><p>Why do they love each other, again?</p><p>This is… disheartening.</p><p>He sighs again, but this time it’s with gusto!</p><p>Either way, one thing is clear. He’s not going to rest until he figures this out. He’s going to get it right, come hell or high water. She deserves the moon – so he’s got to figure out how to wrap it up and give it to her.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Today is the day, and Ciel feels better and better by the hour. His confidence is soaring, and he knows down to the <em> bottom </em> of him that this is the right move. She’s perfect. He can’t <em> wait </em> to see her in the dress that Ben designed. His friend won’t let him see the sketches, saying that he needs at least <em> something </em>to remain a mystery… but, damnit, he’s on pins and needles. She’s going to be gorgeous, no matter what. Even if she’s dressed in rags. Even if she’s naked.</p><p><em> Especially </em>if she’s naked.</p><p>Ben enters the room with heavy feet and Ciel spins to show him how he looks in his fancy regalia… before pausing. The Jedi has black circles under his eyes and looks half-asleep, though he musters a genuine smile when he sees the man-of-the-hour.</p><p>“Look at you. She’s going to think you look amazing.”</p><p>“Look at <em> you,” </em>Ciel retorts. “She’s going to think you look like shit.”</p><p>The Monarch gives no reaction, he just blinks at odd intervals, exhaustion so clear on his face that the soldier wonders if he’s going to drop to the floor.</p><p>“You weren’t this tired at rehearsal, last night.”</p><p>“I drank a lot of caf last night.”</p><p>“You hate caf.”</p><p>“I hate a lot of things.”</p><p>“Fair enough,” Ciel sighs. “But, seriously, what’s… this?” he just gestures at <em> all </em>of Ben.</p><p>“Nope!” The Jedi pops his ‘p’ sound, copying Finn precisely.</p><p>“Nope? What do you mean, <em> nope?” </em></p><p>Shrugging, Ben just stands straighter, fluffing out his own costume for the day. “I mean today is about you. I’ll complain later. In the meantime, I can see a few stray hairs poking out of your nostrils. You may or may not want to rectify that situation before you see your beautiful bride.”</p><p>Ciel’s hands snap over his face as if to put out a fire. He squeaks out a muffled, “Seriously?”</p><p>Grinning, Ben goes to the area with set up toiletries. He waggles an unknown tool in front of the soldier’s face. “You need instructions, or do you want to shear your nose off?”</p><p>“You’re not actually suggesting that I let you shove that thing up there, are you?”</p><p>Ben’s tired eyes twinkle. “You want me to do it with the Force? See how good my control is?”</p><p>Ciel flaps his hands, thwapping at his friend. “Just give me the damn thing and take a walk.”</p><p>The Monarch’s giggles fill the air like a child’s as he starts to play keep-away, being the taller of the two.</p><p>“You son-of-a-“ the soldier growls, flailing and jumping in the air, feeling both like a fool, and also like he wants to watch a holo of himself doing this later for the sake of hysterics.</p><p>“I can arrange that.”</p><p>“Don’t be a prick,” Ciel grumps and Ben lets him have the needful, his grin so wide that it makes the soldier wary. His Best Man is staring at him with his eyebrows up and that familiar devious glimmer.</p><p>Voice completely flat, the groom states, “There’s no hair.” Not a question.</p><p>Somehow, the other man’s grin <em> widens. </em></p><p>Ciel pitches the implement of destruction back at his best friend, laughing. “Gods, I hate when you do that.”</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Rey’s looking at him again, sighing and pulling her mouth into that… disappointed expression. Ben hates it. He hates every moment of it. He watches his wife walk down the aisle, inching closer and closer to giving Ariani away, all while radiating an air of sadness.</p><p>Ben’s standing beside his best friend, stoic and proud, but her heavy gaze concerns him. He knows, he just <em> knows </em>she wants to link their minds; have one of their silent chats.</p><p>But he’s blocking her.</p><p>He’s been blocking her for <em> days </em> and it’s wearing on her. On him.</p><p>Everyone in the enormous hall is standing out of respect, unless religion dictates otherwise. All the children filter down the aisle in their finest clothes, some hating it more than others. Rà walks in stunted steps down the runway, bearing Ciel’s ‘mood-rings’ on a pillow, visibly trying his hardest to be the best ring-bearer in history, and brimming with pride to have been the ‘chosen one’. The soldier is teary-eyed looking at his nephew, before settling on his bride in awe – and she is <em>lovely. </em>The dress Ben had sketched out was tailored perfectly, and he feels more-than proud to have left his fingerprints on this event in some way. Contributed to one of these romantic productions put on by his second-in-command.</p><p>Truth be told, he’s in his own head a bit, even as the music swells with the bride’s approach. He’s exhausted; he’s been pulling late-nighters and <em> all- </em> nighters, trying desperately to think of something to make up for how he’d failed his own wife in the romance department, keeping her out of his mind so that she doesn’t discover the game. It gets harder and <em> harder </em>to do as time goes on – but he just needs to hold on a little more. He’s almost at a breakthrough; he's been crossing things off of lists and narrowing down millions of options to only hundreds… just a few more nights and he’ll figure it out.</p><p>That or, you know, burst into tears. <em> Unbecoming </em> at the very least. Romance doesn’t begin with soppy faced husbands saying, ‘Wahh, I was trying to do a thing…’</p><p>Rey deserves a production, too.</p><p>Looking at her sorrow filled eyes, he kisses his tattoo, telling her silently that he loves her.</p><p>And she ignores him.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Rey dances with her son and plasters a pseudo smile on her face. Rà’s enjoying himself so much that he doesn’t even pick up on her mood. Her depressed, anxious mood.</p><p>Plopping a kiss on the top of his head (which is getting closer and closer to her mouth as he grows like a weed), she waves him off to go play with the others. He slides over to his friend, who is more than uncomfortable with this whole scenario, hugging herself and grimacing. Watching Rà try to yank the girl into wiggling with him makes Rey’s smile just a bit more real. For a moment, anyway; until she starts thinking.</p><p>Ben stands at Ari and Ciel’s table as the couple gushes over each other. He seems to be watching over the enormous crowd, but Rey knows better. He’s brooding. Distracted. Weary.</p><p>And still blocking her.</p><p>That’s the worst part of any of this, she thinks – and not just because it’s so painfully lonely – it’s because her life fell apart the last time he’d blocked her out. He’d hid a terrible secret to ‘protect her’ from worrying. Is he keeping one of those secrets, now?</p><p>Her heart sinks into her toes and she feels sick, waiting for the world to fall down around her.</p><p>Why won’t he let her in?  Why does he always cut himself off from her when it’s <em> necessary </em> that she be prepared for whatever is coming? She can’t take any more heartbreak; she’s not ready yet. She’s not sure she’ll <em> ever </em> be ready. Anakin had said the Cosmic Force had a plan for them, so is it that? Or is there some other terrible thing on the horizon?</p><p>Still, she doesn’t think she should push him. When he’s like this, it would be like pushing against a mountain. He looks at her again and, like when she’d walked their friend down the aisle, he tries to kiss his ring finger to offer love – but it only serves to break her heart. He’s been so loving lately, holding her at every possible moment, just like before.</p><p>What’s coming?</p><p>Oh, please, please don’t let anything bad be coming.</p><p>Rey can’t help it, she truly can’t. A small tear drifts down her face and Ben’s jaw goes slack. Uncrossing his arms, he immediately starts to weave around the table to head her way, but she doesn’t want to do this here. Not now. She doesn’t want to ruin this beautiful memory for her beautiful friends.</p><p>So Rey spins on her heels, walking as quickly and nonchalantly out of the massive hall as possible, claiming small, “Sorry!”s as she bumps into sentients along her way to Ari’s empty bridal suite. The crowd is overwhelming, and she just can’t be here right now.</p><p>She wants to know… but she doesn’t want to know.</p><p>She’s so tired of her life shattering.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p><em> No, no, no, no, no, </em>Ben’s mind stutters as he skirts the head table and works towards his wife at a steady clip. The crowd makes way for him, offering small pleasantries, and he gives them curt nods in return.</p><p>This is backfiring. Why is he so <em> bad </em> at this? He didn’t even consider the fact that she’d be hurt by his mental distance. He’s tried to be extra affectionate physically to compensate, but he should have known that Rey needs him in a <em> deeper </em> way. Why hasn’t he noticed the small signs snowballing?</p><p>Her confusion, then irritation, then sullenness. He figured that he’d make it up to her with whatever brilliant plan he was going to concoct – but now she’s <em> crying. </em></p><p>
  <em> Damn it, damn it. </em>
</p><p>He opens the floodgates immediately, swirling into her mind as he stalks her.</p><p>
  <em> Baby, where are you? </em>
</p><p><em> Don’t come! </em> s he pushes hard at him. <em> Whatever it is – I’m not ready. I don’t want to know! </em></p><p>He lets his confusion ebb in her direction, but she shuts her side down, pushing him completely out and becoming a void in the Force. The last time she’d done that was when…</p><p>… his chest hurts with heartbreak. The memories of those moments bring physical <em> pain. </em></p><p>And it clicks. He gets it. He knows <em> exactly </em>what she’s afraid of. She’s afraid that their world is about to be upended again. She’s thinking that he knows something and he’s hiding it.</p><p>Cursing, he picks up the pace, heading to the last direction he felt from her. She may not hear him, but he calls out a steady, <em> I’m coming. </em></p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>When he throws open the door, she’s weeping openly in an overlarge chair. Bit-and-bobs, ribbons, pins and lace are strewn about the area. Her hands are in her hair, wringing it out for dear life as she whimpers.</p><p>He’s on his knees in front of her in a flash, bringing his hands up to cup her face, only to watch her crumble further. “Shh, shh, shh, oh honey, no. Baby, it’s okay.”</p><p>Her face is cinched in sorrow. “That’s… that’s what you said lah-last t-time,” she stutters her way through her sobs.</p><p>Wrapping around her protectively, he drags her down and into his arms, pressing his face into the crown of her messy hair.</p><p>“I’m sorry. I’m stupid, I’m so <em> stupid, </em>Rey. Really, baby, it’s okay.” He reaches, wiping the tears from her eyes as he presses kisses along her forehead and rocking her a bit. “Nothing bad is happening. Nothing bad is going to happen. It’s okay,” he soothes.</p><p>She pulls back, snuffling, and he flits his eyes around to find what she needs, finally handing her a silken something-or-other for her to blatt her nose into. Her eyes are round and wet when she asks a needy, “You promise?”</p><p>Pulling her close again, he tucks her head under his chin. “Yes. Absolutely.”</p><p>Her rage surprises him.</p><p>She shoves him, hard and fast, knocking him on his ass as she rears into a stand. He’s blinking in shock as she hovers over him, menacingly.</p><p>She yells much more loudly than she should. “THEN, WHAT THE <em> HELL, </em> BEN?!”</p><p>Words stick in his throat and he doesn’t know how to answer.</p><p>“Do you know <em> what I’ve been feeling </em> for the past few days? How worried and <em> panicked </em> and <em> SICK </em> I’ve been?! How many <em> DOOMSDAY </em>scenarios I’ve been playing out in my mind?!”</p><p>Like an idiot, he gets defensive. “Think you could have mentioned any of that to me, sweetheart?”</p><p>She lifts a finger, “Don’t.” They both know that the endearment was the equivalent of Ben saying, ‘you idiot,’ and she’s not about to let him get away with it. “I <em> would have </em> told you if you didn’t shut me out.”</p><p>He pulls himself onto his knees, still lowered before her, but a fire in his eyes. “You do know you have a mouth, right? You <em> do </em>know that most people can’t do what we do, right? And yet, they manage to get along just fine.”</p><p>And she stiffens. Whenever anyone dares insult the bond, lessen its importance in any way, it makes her angry - though only because it hurts her. For someone who grew up lonely, the Force had gifted her with a way to never be alone. Ben had <em> chosen </em> to isolate himself at some point, but Rey never had. She had no say in the matter. The only time she <em> was </em> given a choice – she chose him. She <em> chose </em>the bond.</p><p>He feels like an ass.</p><p>“I wanted to propose to you,” he blurts out.</p><p>She makes a strange face and shakes her head. “You <em> what?” </em></p><p>He feels red all the way to the tips of his ears. “My secret is that I wanted to ask you to marry me.”</p><p>Incredulous, she lifts her ring finger up roughly and points to it. “Did I miss something, or didn’t we already do this?”</p><p>He feels defeated, but plows through, anyway. “I didn’t do it right before. Watching Ciel and Ari – I realized that you deserved better. You deserved <em> more.” </em></p><p>“So you broke my heart by <em> hiding </em>from me?” she’s pitchy and unreasonable.</p><p>“I wanted to surprise you!”</p><p>Scoffing, “Well, consider me surprised.” She plows her face into her hands in disbelief.</p><p>No. No, he’s not letting it be this way – not for a minute. </p><p>He lifts so only one knee is on the ground and the other is bent in front of him, taking her hips in his hands and bringing her closer. She doesn’t look at him, but she doesn’t pull away either. He keeps his voice level, fully seeing his fault.</p><p>“I never get this right, do I? Every time I try to make you fall in love with me, I only drive you away.” He feels despondent but still swirls his thumbs over her. “Whether it’s when we’re fighting, when I’m blowing people up, or when you’re about to go die and I’m trying to stop you… I still always <em> say it wrong.” </em></p><p>She pulls her fingers down to look at him a little, and he stares into her earnestly.</p><p>“My timing is bad. I say the wrong things. I tell and don’t ask. You give me a pass because you don’t know any better – but <em> I </em> should. You deserve <em>more</em> than what I've given you.”</p><p>Her fingers stroke gently through his hair now; he has her full attention.</p><p>“From the moment I laid eyes on you – even though it was the worst of circumstances – I saw how special you were. I thought it was about power, because that was my world, but the truth is that you were my destiny and, somewhere inside me, I knew it from day one.”</p><p>He swallows and rests his forehead on her belly. “You make me a better person. It’s not about Dark or Light; it’s about wanting to be the kind of man who deserves you. And that’s the thing, Rey – I’ve <em> never </em>deserved you.”</p><p>He lifts his face and takes her hand, kissing her palm.</p><p>“But the fact that you love me has… tamed me. You’ve saved my life, and countless other lives, by just being yourself. How could I <em> ever </em>hope to be worthy of someone like you?”</p><p>He rests his cheek in her hand.</p><p>“But I want to try. Every day, I want to learn to be a better man. A better leader. A better partner for you in all the amazing things that you’ll do in your life. I want you to choose me, but not because there’s no other option. Not just because we’re bonded. Not because it’s fate. I want to be the kind of person that you would fall in love with on-sight, even if we’d never met before.”</p><p>Her face is so soft, filled with such adoration, and he’s graced by it.</p><p>“I’ll make an effort to overcome my bad timing. I’ll try to say the <em> right </em> things. I will work every day to make you feel my love; with my body, with my actions, and with my mind. I will <em> never </em>block you out again, I promise. So I’m asking you – out of all the men that you could make yours, would you still choose me? Would you please be my wife?”</p><p>To say her gaze is filled with love doesn't come close to describing her precious expression. She doesn’t just fall into his arms, she collides with him, knocking them both down to the floor, letting down her guard and swirling her emotions over him in a tornado of, <em> YesYesYesYesYesYesYes! </em></p><p>Their lips are locked together in a single kiss that lasts. A fervent press of skin-against-skin as her hands clasp his cheeks and he wraps his arms around her lower back. It doesn’t matter that they’re on the floor. It doesn’t matter that there are foreign, painful things digging into his back. What matters now is that… even though he failed, he still won.</p><p>“EW!” Finn squawks, catching them on the floor and turning his head away.</p><p>Rey yelps, pulling back as Jannah leans her head slyly into the room past the heavy door. Her grin is sloppy and charming.</p><p>“You guys, uh… having a little alone time in here?” she asks suggestively, resulting in another, ‘EW!’ from her husband.</p><p>Finn covers his eyes so he doesn’t have to look at Rey straddling his brother-from-another-mother on the floor of the bridal suite. “It’s time for the cake bit, man – you know, remember the cake? I’m supposed to get you for-“</p><p>“The cake,” Ben states. “Yes, that’s clear,” and yet he makes no effort to move, enjoying the weight of his wife on top of him.</p><p>Jannah shoves Finn, obviously tipsy. “Grow up, FN. You act like a <em> kid. </em> You act like I don’t get on top of <em> you </em>sometimes. Hell, even they know that I-“</p><p>Rey’s up and off Ben in a second, dashing to Jannah and looping an arm under hers, leading her away before Finn finds out just <em> how much </em> of his sex life Rey and Ben are already aware of. </p><p>He sends her a wash of love. <em> I’ll be there soon. </em></p><p>And he feels a playful, <em> You better. It’s supposed to be maple-chocolate. </em></p><p>He lets out an audible hum of happiness. He loves maple-anything. It dawns on him that Ciel took the loves of his two favorite people and smashed them together into one flavor. How incredibly thoughtful. </p><p>How <em> completely </em>like him.</p><p>His brother eyes him oddly as he remains sprawled on the floor. After a pause, Finn walks over and starts poking at Ben with the toe of his shoe.</p><p>“So – you guys, uh, get in a fight?”</p><p>Ben scoffs, running a hand through his hair and stretching.</p><p>Pursing his lips, Finn continues, “Made up, though?”</p><p>Grinning, Ben can’t help but ask, “What do you think?”</p><p>Finn bends down slightly. “I think you screwed up her hair and now she’s going to look stupid in the cake holos.”</p><p>Eyes flying wide, Ben sits up, quick.</p><p>“Yeahhh, you think your second-in-command is going to have an issue with that, given his tendency for perfection and micromanagement?”</p><p>Grabbing his braids, Ben gasps. “He even redid my hair twice today!”</p><p>“Mmm-Hmm,” Finn agrees.</p><p>The Monarch stands, straightening himself. <em> Baby girl? </em></p><p>He feels her attention.</p><p>
  <em> Evidently, you’re in need of a costume check. Finn says you look ravaged and Ciel would prefer you proper for his wedding photos. </em>
</p><p>He can feel her snort and sniffs his nose.</p><p>Finn cocks his head lightly. “She made you cry.”</p><p>“What?” Ben balks. “No.”</p><p>Smirk blooming on his face, Finn rags on him. “Yeahhh, she did.”</p><p>Shoving him a little, Ben mumbles, “Shut up.”</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Ciel can’t help but stare down Ari’s dress a little as she leans over to cut the cake, her breasts are pressed together just so. He’s going to make her keep that ensemble on for a while after they get alone together. This is one piece of candy he wants to unwrap <em> slowly. </em></p><p>He catches Ben’s approach over the crowd, his grin widening when he sees his friend, but he focuses back down on the lady of the hour.</p><p>Of the day.</p><p>Of his whole life.</p><p>Ciel’s so in love he doesn’t know what to do with himself. He’s smiled so much today that his face hurts. He has friends, a family that adopted him, and now he has someone to give his heart and soul to. To him, a vicious romantic, there’s not a single thing better in the entire galaxy. Which is why he wholeheartedly, unequivocally, and without reservation forgives her…</p><p>… when she rams the cake in his face.</p><p>He never thought he’d experience the sensation of maple-chocolate up his nose but, well… here we are.</p><p>And it’s perfect. </p><p>It’s the best day of his life.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>OMGOMGOMGOMG. So - the first draft for this chapter was a bachelor party for Ciel. The lovely sleeping_kitten made me a moodboard for that original thought. I'm all filled with squees.</p><p>Find sleeping_kitten here: <a href="https://href.li/?https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeping_kitten/works">https://archiveofourown.org/users/sleeping_kitten/works</a></p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    
  </p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Part of this was prompted by MorphoBlueTravels. Again, I wasn’t talented enough to be able to weave in the whole thing… but!! I kinda touched on it. (Kinda…?)</p><p> </p><p>  <em>---On Bespin: a scene with Lando &amp; Jannah talking about Finn. Finn is totally smashed, and not setting a good example. Lando relays Pasaana to Jannah, and she relays Kef Bir. Jannah has feelings for Finn, searching for a blessing from Lando.--- </em></p><p> </p><p>Sarah297 had also been eagerly anticipating a reflection on Rey/Ben’s wedding, and prompted to see more about how they got their wedding ring tattoos. 😊 (Sorry if it’s not what you imagined, Sarah! I can’t do anything the ‘regular way’!)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. WHAT’S HAPPENING TO ME?!? (Rey Gives Birth)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341.</p><p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3</p><p>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags. Please look for that in every chapter header.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p>
  <b>Where:</b>
  <span> Shestsei - Ice Planet</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Time:</b>
  <span> At the time of Starlight</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Tags:</b>
  <span> Crack, Childhood Angst, Adoption, Pregnancy/Birth, Teeny-tiny reference to suicide (as a joke)</span>
</p><p>
  <b>POV:</b>
  <span> Ben / Rey / Rà / Ciel</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything!!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey weeps into her hands openly, sitting on the sofa in front of her allies and family, hiccupping as ugly tears rip down her face, making her skin blotchy and red.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“ME TOO!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben cries, curling in on himself and sobbing shamelessly, unable to control the raging emotions inside him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone else in the room is on pause, bodies rigid with discomfort as they watch this unhealthy display of over-emotionality. The air is still except for the blatant wailing of the dyad that sits in front of them. Everything is rife with tension. The married pair’s inner circle looks at each other, unsure of how to proceed. You see, Rey is suffering from an intense case of pregnancy hormones.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which means Ben is, too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel swallows audibly. “Ben – you… you have meetings.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Meetings!!” he hollers, completely unreasonable. “How can I go to </span>
  <em>
    <span>meetings </span>
  </em>
  <span>like </span>
  <em>
    <span>this?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he gestures with a rough stab to his chest while Rey goes off into a tirade.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What about </span>
  <em>
    <span>my </span>
  </em>
  <span>meetings?!” she rages. “Why doesn’t anyone care about </span>
  <em>
    <span>my life </span>
  </em>
  <span>and what </span>
  <em>
    <span>I need to do!?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The soldier may as well bury himself in dirt. It would likely be a better experience than… whatever this is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitala states, matter-of-factly, “You are female. This is to be expected.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “No one will think any less of you, Master Rey. No one. From what I read, this is very human,” Hima tries to soothe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Rey’s having none of it. “YOU read! No one else READS!! I DIDN’T EVEN READ! How am I supposed to explain to a Devaronian male that he should let me help train him on how to use the Force when I’m flooded with the Dark side and pitching hissy-fits for </span>
  <em>
    <span>no apparent reason!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“They’re apparent, mom.” Rà folds his arms over his chest. “They’re things that have always annoyed you – you’re just more, um, honest about it now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The pseudo-Jedi starts crying again – but with a sort of happiness. “You’re such a good boy. We're so <em>lucky </em>to have you!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Bless that child,</span>
  </em>
  <span> Ciel thinks, even though Ben only sobs even harder over the love of his son.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pragmatic, as always, Sitala sifts her hands through her grey, bone-straight hair. “Just put everything on hold; that’s what the Duro do. You think that you’re in an unfortunate position? Try being the only one in a pair that feels pain while the other one holds all the empathy and can do nothing. In pairs like that, some commit suicide. Are you about to commit suicide, Master Rey Solo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben and Rey uncover their faces in absolute synch, horrified that she would even…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “But you’re together in this,” Hima jumps in to cover for her twin’s inability to do anything but logically analyze facts. “You’re not alone!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which pushes the dyad into another round of tears for unknown reasons. They cling to each other and say, ‘I love you’ so many times that Ciel wants to throw up in his mouth a little bit. And that’s coming from </span>
  <em>
    <span>him. </span>
  </em>
  <span>And he friggin’ cries during love making, for Gods’ sake!</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not that anyone needs to know that…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gods, please don’t let anyone know that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Up,” he states with no hesitation, taking Ben by the arm and pulling him. “I need to separate you two. Maybe a little distance will help.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I won’t leave her alone!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>matches Rey’s, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Don’t you dare leave me, Ben Solo!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>as they yell over each other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That hole of dirt is looking more and more appealing as time goes on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà reaches out to rest a hand on his mother and places the other one softly on his father. “Hey,” he coddles, much too grown for a twelve-going-on-thirteen-year-old. “Hey, it will be okay. Mom, why don’t you stay here? It’s nice and cool; you know how overheated you’ve been lately.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Cool? Is that how you describe a world of ICE? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ciel can’t help but grumble internally, hating the cold more than anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad – if people see you weakened, what do you think it’s going to do for your reputation in the Galaxy?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben bristles immediately, and Rey on his behalf. They are more-than aware of what any sign of weakness would do to the former Kylo Ren’s thin grasp on the respect of the Galactic community.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Block me.” Miss Rey’s voice is resolute and firm.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben looks horrified. “Never! I promised!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She closes her eyes, takes a calming breath... and Ben visibly relaxes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But?” his voice comes out confused and more than a little hurt, though the soldier has no idea what the hell just happened.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel watches Rey run her fingers through her husband’s hair. “Shh, shh – I’m not gone; I’m right here. I’m just…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Silent.” Ben completes her sentence.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s Rà who leans over to whisper to his uncle and the Councilors. “She pulled back from their bond. He can’t really feel her, anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hima can’t help but whisper back a sarcastic, “You think she would have done that </span>
  <em>
    <span>earlier!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>but only receives a sharp look from both Rey and Ben at the same time. She ‘ahems’ politely and tucks her hands into her robes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Stay with us Miss Rey. You’re not due for two weeks. Let Master Solo go a few lightyears away and take our meetings remotely. You know how General Dameron can be-“</span>
</p><p>
  
  <em>
    <span>“An idiotic son-of-a-single-minded-“</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“-firm about some of his stances. We need to be in top-negotiating form. We can’t afford to let personal issues interfere right now,” Sitala warns.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben rubs his hands over his (much calmer) face. “He has to be under a lot of pressure. The more we understand his external motivators, the more we can try to make this a win-win. If we focus on shooting down his every line item, we all lose – because he’ll never agree and we’ll be at a standstill. Again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks at his wife, eyes filled with love. “You’ll be okay?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She seems calmer now, too, since they’re no longer feeding off one-another’s misery. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ll be fine. The twins will take care of me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà cries out a whiny, “And me!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Is that high pitched voice-crack due to his age? Honestly, Ciel has no idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Miss Rey finally smiles and grabs the boy’s hand. “And you. Especially you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kid looks smugly at his father, as if he’s taking awesomeness points away from the man. Ben rolls his eyes in return, knowing that the Rà is edging closer and closer towards rebelliousness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though he’s still a mama’s boy.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rà sighs loudly, leaning alone against the wall in Sitala and Hima’s home, exhausted. Mom’s always ranting and crying – which makes his dad rant and cry. Sometimes they fight with each other, too. With words, with sabers… and he’s just so </span>
  <em>
    <span>tired.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>A small smile quirks on his lips, though, because his Starlight is coming soon. He can feel the Force flowing so strongly around that little golden thread. In its way, that connection is what’s bound the boy to this family. He loves them, he loves them with his </span>
  <em>
    <span>whole heart, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but he still feels detached. His family is always pulled in different directions, different jobs on different planets – all far, far away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, unless he’s joining a battle, his father </span>
  <em>
    <span>never</span>
  </em>
  <span> leaves him behind. It’s like he’s obsessed with Rà staying within arm’s reach. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At first, the boy had wanted to go with his mom on training missions, but it only served to remind him of how weak he is in the Force, compared to her. Compared to </span>
  <em>
    <span>both </span>
  </em>
  <span>of them. He may be stronger than some of the others in his class, but only when he goes straight to the Dark. He would return home feeling dejected. Ashamed for being unable to balance himself properly. Ashamed at his satisfaction when he finally let go and leveraged his full Dark side power to destroy something – when no one was looking. It had felt so freeing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s his sinful secret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ever since his parents realized the anxiety it caused him, those trips stopped immediately. Now, the boy has sat in on more political sessions than he can count. At least it’s interesting. Rà thinks that his calling might actually be in history and strategy; it speaks to him in a special way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Once, his father had even asked him to respond to a historical question. Rà knew there was <em>no way</em> that the Monarch of the Fallen First Order didn’t already know the answer – so that meant his dad was giving him an opportunity to show off. Rà ran through so many emotions in those few minutes. Embarrassment, thankfulness, pride, and more-than-relief when his dad nodded at him, signaling he'd gotten it <em>just right.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, when his father is in those meetings, it’s like he’s a stranger. Cold. His whole aura screams authority, and he becomes nothing like the soft man who’s held Rà through bouts of crying. The man who laughs so hard that tears run from his eyes. If Rà wants to follow this political path of leadership, does that mean that he needs to shut away the human side of himself? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What does it truly mean to have power?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s at times like this when he feels Starlight’s golden thread wrap around his heart and soothe him. He can’t wait for her to be born.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a lot of prodding, Rà had guilted his mother into seeing an actual doctor, which meant he got to see ultrasonic pictures of his little sister. She had been nothing more than a grey wiggle with a pulse, but Rà already knew that she’d be beautiful. If not in looks, then in her heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hopes she'll also travel together with their father once she’s old enough. He needs that. He needs someone to be by his side as often as possible, reminding him that there are good things in life. Reminding him that feelings aren’t a sin. That it’s okay to be human. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s a very lonely boy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With all the travel, he’s getting to know so many people on so many worlds – but it’s all shallow. His only real friend is stuck on Karuvis and he’s away for weeks without seeing her. The pattern is: two weeks away, three weeks at home. At almost thirteen, two weeks may as well be a lifetime. But - if his sister travels with his father, too, Rà knows won't have to be on his own, anymore. It's a comforting thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Just in case, he’s started to practice changing pretend-diapers. With the Force, too, just for fun. He finds it hysterical to use this ‘mystic connection to the universe’ to do stupid and mundane things.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What will they name her?</span>
  </em>
  <span> he wonders.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He also wonders if they’ll have a Force-bond, as siblings. Not like his mother and father – no, please, he never, ever wants </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>like that – but it would be nice to have someone sense his feelings... and have the time to indulge him. Especially when he’s angry, sad or scared. </span>
  <span>Right now, that’s exactly what his sister does for him, offering reassurance that someone sees him; </span>
  <em>
    <span>feels </span>
  </em>
  <span>him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can only pray that it will continue long after she’s born.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he hopes they’ll still call her Starlight. If he names her, it’s proof that he was real. That he really belongs here, in this family. That he’s not just another Force-sensitive orphan that his fake-father took pity on. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He loves his parents. His uncles. He </span>
  <em>
    <span>feels </span>
  </em>
  <span>loved when he’s with them, too. Precious. Special. But it’s not enough – and he knows they’ll never really </span>
  <span>understand what it feels like to be an abandoned child. To grow up so isolated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels useless, aimless, powerless, and more and more bitter about it by the day, even though he tries desperately not to let it show.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another sinful secret.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Miss Rey, please look at our husbands,” Sitala gestures to her and her twin’s mates.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The males both look at Rey with different expressions, and she can’t help but find it unnerving. Duro are still so strange to her; one person’s personality split into two bodies. If you don’t know the pair well, you have no idea what to expect from one twin or the other. </span>
  <span>Looking at this set of males, it seems that one of them is… walking lust.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s beautiful with nearly white hair – so is his twin – but this one has mischief screaming in his eyes when he takes Rey’s hand and places a cool kiss on it in mock chivalry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Master Rey, welcome to our home. And may I say, pregnant human females are so </span>
  <em>
    <span>incredibly </span>
  </em>
  <span>attractive; round in all the </span>
  <em>
    <span>right </span>
  </em>
  <span>places. I can barely stand to look at you without wanting to run my fingers over your belly and feel the life inside. May I touch you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Discomfort doesn’t even </span>
  <em>
    <span>begin </span>
  </em>
  <span>to summarize Rey’s emotion right now. Hima fluffs her spouse away, nonchalant, and places her hand on the Jedi’s back, leading her through their home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitala comforts, matter-of-factly, “Ignore him, please. Alaja speaks every word in his mind without filters, and he’s sexual by nature. It’s his way.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey blinks over her shoulder at the male who is </span>
  <em>
    <span>obviously </span>
  </em>
  <span>checking out her rear as she walks away. The look on his face is both interested and sly, as if he’s picturing something naughty.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “Good thing Master Solo isn’t here,” Hima winks, her sister coming to follow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I have no desire to find our spouses mercilessly cut down for Alaja’s transgressions. It would be hard to find another suitable pair.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My husband wouldn’t do that!” Rey insists. When Hima tips her head to the side and narrows her eyes playfully at her, Rey concedes, “Though he’d probably cause a bit of pain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “Which is why we’ll never let you be in the same room with our husbands alone,” Hima giggles. “I love both of them a ridiculous amount, but I also wouldn’t mind tearing Alaja apart, sometimes. If I have to listen to him fawn over you,” her eyes get mean and viciousness enters her voice, “I’ll murder him.” She immediately perks up to something more pleasant. “But we’ll keep you safe!”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Safe?!? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey can’t help but think.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why in the name of the Gods is she staying in a place where they’ll have to make an effort to keep her </span>
  <em>
    <span>safe?!? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Normally, she’d assert that she could protect herself… but lately, with her swinging ball-of-baby in front of her, she’s less than prepared for self-defense. (Unless she feels like Force-blasting people against a wall… which is still completely possible.)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t Rà and I stay somewhere else while we’re here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            Hima immediately bristles and goes to raise her voice in anger, but Sitala cuts her off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Custom, Master Rey. You’ll find us to be gracious hosts, I promise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            Remembering herself, Hima switches back into ‘sweet’ mode. “It’s our culture. It’s a sign of trust and respect. If you weren’t to stay with us, it would be assumed that we are </span>
  <em>
    <span>inhospitable.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“And untrustworthy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “We’d receive criticism for our inability to maintain a proper relationship with our Monarch and his family.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It would call our efficacy into question.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            Hima grimaces and gives Rey the evil eye, basically growling the words, “You wouldn’t want to cause us any political backlash, </span>
  <em>
    <span>would you?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“No!” Rey exclaims. “I’m sorry – I’m still learning everyone’s way of doing things. Thank you for helping me understand.” In no uncertain terms, as well.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “Of course. If no one shows you, you’ll never see.” Hima glows with kindness again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey feels her skin prickle. What the hell has she gotten herself into? “Ben really stays here?” she squeaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course. We had his apartment built within our walls, so he could retain his privacy.” Sitala gestures as they arrive at an open door, beautifully ice blue with white spiked shards engraved over the surface. Rà stands just beyond it, warming himself by a fireplace. It’s obvious he’s been here several times and seems comfortable, smiling at her when she enters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hima hands Rey a key, tapping her nose with it. “And this is for you!” she says, with a charming grin. “This will keep my husband out, so you don’t have to worry about him watching you while you sleep. He enjoys the calming breath of beautiful females as they dream.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Actual.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>F*ck?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey takes the key and wills her hand not to shake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “Just kidding!” Hima laughs, clapping her hands in front of herself, turning to make her way back into the twin’s area of the house.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitala whispers low as she turns to leave, “Half-kidding.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And suddenly, Rey would much rather be crying uncontrollably with her husband.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The holo flicks off and Ben leans back in his chair, Ciel doing the same on the opposite side, and Jade finishing up her notes nearby. The woman’s fingers nearly fly over her datapad keys and her face is pinched in concentration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That went well!” she chirps, happily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As well as could be expected, considering.” Ben steeples his hands, leaning his lips against his fingers thoughtfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel reaches for his non-braid before settling on scrubbing the back of his neck. “Do you think that the twins will actually be happy with this deal if Dameron gets what he’s asking for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jade takes that as her cue to leave, and Ben is grateful, letting himself fall into a sigh of disappointment once she’s out the door.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hima was angry,” the soldier points out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hima’s often angry,” Ben reminds. “Sitala made some strong points in our favor, though. Poe will talk to the Alliance Council and get their feedback. We just have to wait it out until then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So we’re gonna float here in space for two standard days with nothing to do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben shrugs. “If you want to keep Rey and I apart, then yes.” He stretches his arms and laces his hands behind his head, looking at the holopanel, expectantly. “In five, four, three, two-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The comm lights up with red flashes and Ciel snaps his fingers, sarcastically. “You were a whole second off! Losing your touch.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The soldier clicks the button and the blue light flickers up, showing Poe’s irritated face. The threesome often holds these post-call debriefs; they help smooth things over when anything political threatens their ‘super-secret pseudo-friendship’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What the hell, Solo?” is how the charming man opens the conversation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben doesn’t move out of his relaxed position, amused, despite everything. “I warned you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poe leans in towards his camera, hunching his shoulders. “I thought you were </span>
  <em>
    <span>kidding.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben looks at Ciel innocently. “I kid? When did I start kidding?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man laughs and puts his head down on the table over his hands. “You Alliance guys suck. I swear to the Gods, you suck. You sucked for a whole eight hours, just now. My eyes are bleeding from staring at your ugly faces. I’m old. I need a nap.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben shoves his friend, rolling his eyes. “You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>not that old,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he reminds (for the umpteeth time). “We had you tested.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dameron continues, ignoring them both, “You know I can’t do anything with what came out of that meeting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel groans into his knuckles, eyes closed. “We conceded on, like, four of your points.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gesturing something crude in sign-language, Poe growls in frustration. “The </span>
  <em>
    <span>easiest </span>
  </em>
  <span>ones!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben scoffs. “I’d be an idiot if I gave you more than that. What do you take me for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Poe runs his fingers through his hair and covers his eyes, whining childishly. “You’re not nice. You’re not my friend. I don’t want to play with you, anymore.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Chuckling, Ben simply states, “Then get out of the sandbox, General.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been an uneventful two days. The twins are mostly in negotiations, and Rey has stayed </span>
  <em>
    <span>happily </span>
  </em>
  <span>away from their house-husbands. Though she has noticed that, while the one is lustful, the other is overflowing with pure love and sweetness. And he’s playful, as well. He often tricks Hima by making it seem like there’s something in her hair and, when she looks up, he surprises her with a kiss. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other husband always wants to join in and take it further, which freaks her son out and turns his face flame-red with embarrassment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Um, Rey’s not too sure how that works, </span>
  <em>
    <span>logistically</span>
  </em>
  <span>… even though, obviously, it must. </span>
  <span>It’s likely only a matter of time until either Hima or Sitala has a belly as big as hers. She idly wonders how the emotions and traits for twin-children divide. Is it random? Genetic? Fate? Does it depend on the maternal lineage? All Rey knows is that only </span>
  <em>
    <span>one </span>
  </em>
  <span>of the two Councilors is genetically set up to reproduce, though she won't ask which one. It seems too personal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead of digging into the aliens’ culture, she rests her weary body on their incredibly comfortable furniture. It’s fluffy and soft, like a pillow made of heaven. Rey runs her hands through Rà’s hair and makes sure to scritch-scratch across his scalp, listening to him hum a lullaby as his cheek rests on her belly, feeling the baby tumble around like a little monster. Her nails have gotten long now. It’s one part hormones and the second part I-can’t-wield-a-weapon-right-now. It makes her restless. She’s never been so docile in her entire life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Parts of it are nice, though. Moments like this, especially. As much as she’s quick to anger, and quick to cry, she’s also quick to be incredibly moved by the small things in life. Like feeling the warmth of her son against her, looking at his soft expression, and listening to him breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If she could, </span>
  <em>
    <span>this </span>
  </em>
  <span>is a feeling she’d push to Ben in an instant, together with the relaxed face of their little boy. Not so little, anymore. Not in body, or in mind. The feeling of him in the Force has been a bit tumultuous of late. Rey wants to sneak in and read his thoughts, but is terrified of the repercussions. Ben had reminded her of how little she liked </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>brain being rifled through without her permission. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ari reassures her that children have their own set of hormone issues to deal with at this age. That moodiness, acting out, and emotional distance are all completely normal. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Growing pains.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Feeling her little daughter flip a summersault under her lungs is the </span>
  <em>
    <span>definition</span>
  </em>
  <span> of growing pains, by the way, and Rà giggles beneath her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think she’s ready to come out,” he says through his smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She </span>
  <em>
    <span>better not,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey grumps. “Your father is away and-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stops, feeling something foreign in her belly. A sort of tightening, and Rà gets up off of her, looking down with concern.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was that, mom?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She waves her hand, dismissively. “Nothing. It’s nothing. It’s fine. I feel fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Little does she know, in a few hours, she will feel </span>
  <em>
    <span>less than </span>
  </em>
  <span>fine. It’s a bit too early – but when has that mattered? Children come when they come.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And giving birth is a bitch.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The talks are almost done, agreements made, and all Ben wants to do is go home.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’d stopped for a supply run along a rural trade route, quite outside of the hyperspace lanes. Now they orbit a rustic, cloud-swirled planet, and all because Ariani likes a specific kind of chocolate it produces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His second-in-command is annoying. It’s a waste of resources, really; burning fuel while hovering over this non-FFO world...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>...which is why Ben is making sure it’s worth their while, ‘investing’ in enough confections for the surrounding cities where Hima and Sitala rule. (And a few for the orphanage, while he’s at it.) He’ll ensure that at least a smattering of his people are well-stocked in sweets, a sort of celebration for negotiations well-concluded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mildly triumphant thoughts are on his mind, even though his desire to kill Poe Dameron is steadily climbing – tenuous friendship aside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, the agreement is give-and-take. Shestsei and its leadership gave more than they wanted in some areas, the Alliance gave more in others (though the FFO still won out, overall). One might think the coalition would focus on what they’d gained, but no. Instead they’re ‘pissed off’, to quote his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As much as he’s pleased with the outcome, he’s fairly irritated too, even without Rey’s hormonal influence. She hovers like a dim blip in the back of his mind and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>misses </span>
  </em>
  <span>her. He has no idea how just two days could feel like an eon without her; all he knows is that he wants those goods loaded</span>
  <em>
    <span> as soon as possible</span>
  </em>
  <span> so he can return to his family.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It should finish up within half the day-cycle. The planet is frantically working all hours to complete his insane order, but they’re more than happy to have the influx of credits. After that’s set, they can start the four-hour trek back to the hyperspace lane.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the hour to get planet-side, after that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the thirty minutes it takes to dock and transfer to their temporary home, after that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ugh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now, if only this meeting would end.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Just a little bit more,</span>
  </em>
  <span> he reminds himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You can avoid killing Poe Dameron for just a little longer.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Something in his stomach cramps suddenly, though he keeps his expression neutral. It’s minimal, likely nothing more than a passing whim of his body, and he pays it no mind... until it twinges again a few minutes later.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As one of the twins rages (in a way that Ben doesn’t really feel like stopping), he parts his lips slightly, mind flicking through a list. Did he eat something bad? Is it the stress of the situation? Is it… gas? Kidney stones? </span>
  <span>He should probably see the med-droid after this, just in case.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He holds up a single hand to the projection where Hima is going ballistic with insults for the Alliance General, stopping her rant mid-sentence. “I think that’s enough, don’t you, Councilor?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a huff, Hima relaxes and agrees, swapping over to something much more pleasant.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitala nods slightly towards the other holoscreen where Dameron and his team are gathered. “I agree, Master Solo. We should focus on what’s been gained today, not what’s been lost. For both Shestsei and the Alliance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Monarch is reminded that he likes her for a reason.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a heavy sigh, Poe nods back. “Agreed. We’ll send the documents over. How does this go again? We want signatures.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel adds, “And the Duro require blood.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To which, the entire Alliance panel scowls.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Good, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben thinks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Maybe they’ll think twice before trying to alter the agreement if they know they have to bleed over it.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>His stomach seizes again. “Then I believe we can adjourn.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a little early, but everyone agrees, more than done with each other by now. The holos flicker off one-after-another, but Ben’s eyebrows remain knit in thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As Jade finishes up her notes, Ciel stands and stretches, something in his back popping all the way from sacrum to skull as he lets out a small grunt of satisfaction. “I hate my life less today.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another flutter runs through Ben’s belly and now he’s getting concerned. “Jade, Ciel, finish up here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With no other words, he dismisses himself, walking in clipped steps out of the room and down the corridor towards his quarters. The last thing he needs right now is an illness or injury. With Rey the way she is, she can’t heal him. Even years later, assassins are still being intercepted on a daily basis, and Ben can guarantee there will only be more if he’s perceived as even an </span>
  <em>
    <span>inch</span>
  </em>
  <span> less formidable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At least the Alliance, the Hutts, and the Galactic Coalition all are using their spy networks to help him circumvent these kinds of attacks. Capturing anyone suspected and jailing anyone confirmed. It’s one of the few benefits of helping them solve their on-world issues. Mythic destructive beasts, gang syndicates, and big-bad-boss-battles are more suited to </span>
  <em>
    <span>his</span>
  </em>
  <span> skills than others, so the Galaxy is just protecting their own interests.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’ll take it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another cramp hits him, stronger than the last, and it gives him pause. Unclipping his comm from his belt, he thumbs it, summoning a droid to meet him privately as opposed to checking himself into the med-bay. Better to be discreet. </span>
  <span>Hitting another frequency, the Monarch states to the relay operator, “No calls until I tell you otherwise.” The last thing he needs is an angsty call from the pilot.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is no pause, though there is a slight stutter from the other side. “Y-yes, sir!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Frowning to himself, he triggers the device once more. “Good work handling the connections with no technical issues, today. It went perfectly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The voice sounds a little proud, now. “No problem, sir! Anything you need!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His gruff old habits with the lower ranks are hard to kill, but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>trying. He makes an effort to see them as individuals, rather than a horde at his disposal. It’s working; he even learns names, now. His core crew matters more and more as he gets to know them, and they continually reenlist for his personal retinue. Their respect and deference remains, though they seem to fear him less and less. Rey tells him it’s a good thing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knows that the loyalty of your people is essential in a galaxy of potential enemies, and Ben wants to earn that loyalty outside of inspiring terror. He's not Supreme Leader, anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, better to be cautious; keep his guard up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even the walls have ears.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rà is in a panic as Hima and Sitala finally enter their home. Running to them, he grabs their robes in his urgency. “I think mom is starting to go into labor! I need help.” Looking around fast to ensure they’re alone, he whispers, “I didn’t want to go to your husbands about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            “Why not?” Hima seems hurt.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy cocks an eyebrow at the twin and she understands quickly; one of her husbands would be a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>too </span>
  </em>
  <span>interested in what goes on underneath Master Rey’s wrappings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Based on what I’ve read, she just needs to experience this situation for a few hours,” Sitala brings up her datapad to confirm. “Does she require pain relief?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She doesn’t want it; she’s afraid it will hurt the baby’s connection to the Force.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How foolish,” Sitala looks at him blandly. “Will this affect your father?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy considers, still grabbing at their dresses in concern, “Did you notice a difference with him, just now? Is he hurt or anything?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            Hima shakes her head earnestly. “No. He was just the same as always.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà nods, satisfied. “Then their bond must still be closed off. I can’t ask mom right now, she’s… well… unhappy – but I need you to try and comm him, okay? He needs to get back on-world as soon as he can.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sitala looks at her nails, unconcerned. “They should be positioned right alongside a hyperspace lane. His return will be quick now that the meeting ended.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>            Hima cups Rà’s cheek affectionately. “In that case, better to not worry him. You know how upset he gets when your mother is in pain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà snorts. “Well, </span>
  <em>
    <span>there’s </span>
  </em>
  <span>the understatement of the year.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When he’d arrived at his quarters, the first thing Ben had done was lock it down, ensuring that only the droid had entry privileges. It had tested him, sampled him, prodded him, and scanned every inch of his body… though to no avail. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he’d let the thing out of his sight, Ben had completely wiped its memory circuits. If nothing else, just for his peace of mind. There wasn’t much for it to have remembered, anyway. There was nothing in its readings that indicated any problems – just some inexplicable muscle spasms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Spasms that are </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>going away. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They're sporadic. Unpredictable. Minutes can go by without anything until, suddenly, everything comes in rapid succession. It makes no sense, though one thing is clear: they are getting stronger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His cortisol is fine, so it’s not stress. His blood tests came back negative, so it’s not poison. It's so little pain that, normally, it’s not worth giving it any attention to… but he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>paranoid.</span>
  </em>
  <span> With the increase in severity and frequency, how long until he’s truly uncomfortable? Painful?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Incapacitated?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought gives him chills. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>From outside his quarters, Ciel pings for permission to enter and Ben slams the button that denies the request. He’s tired, cranky, and is in no mood for his best friend’s snark, sarcasm, or concern.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rey settles herself on her hands and knees, curling her back in the air and letting her belly swing beneath her, gritting her teeth. She’s trying to meditate but is completely failing at it. The waves are coming stronger, and Rà sits beside her with a stupid timer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me when the next one starts,” he demands, eyes locked on the countdown contraption.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Go be a KID,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey growls at him. “I can do this on my own.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her son’s eyes go round before he looks away, sadly. “I thought I could be here… at least until dad-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Where </span>
  <em>
    <span>is </span>
  </em>
  <span>your father, anyway?” she continues in her snit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The twins said he’d be right back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you comm him?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà shakes his head, slightly. “They thought we shouldn’t worry him, and I agree </span>
  <em>
    <span>completely.</span>
  </em>
  <span> I don’t want him to destroy the ship just because he’s mad that he’s not here.” Petulantly, “I like that ship.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey grimaces as another cramp grips her. “I hate that he does that. I hate that </span>
  <em>
    <span>you know</span>
  </em>
  <span> he does that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the boy is ignoring her, having triggered the damn timer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wants to kill it with fire.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Comm. Him.” she states, quite clearly. “If he ruins his ship, I’ll make him fix it </span>
  <em>
    <span>himself.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel relaxes in bed, pondering the mysteries of the universe as he samples some of the chocolate they’re bringing onboard. Honestly, he doesn’t see what the big deal is. It’s not all that great. Kind of bland, as flavors go, and he’s become somewhat of an expert on flavors lately. If he had to pick a favorite… what would it be?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Fruits are too fruity. Sweets are too sweet. Salty is good. Meat with burgundy sauces might be better… but it hits him like an epiphany. </span>
  <span>Butter. Most definitely butter. Versatile, delicious, can-be-put-in-anything-to-make-it-better butter.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That where his mind is when his comm chirps. He assumes it must be Ben, done taking a dump or whatever he was doing when he’d visited before. He doesn’t bother looking at the signal reference before opening the audio channel.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Gennnneral Ciel, here, wishing you a gorgeous day in the blackness of space.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uncle Ciel,” Rà’s voice is high and cracks slightly. “I can’t get a hold of dad!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sits up, swirling his tongue around his mouth to clear up any excess sweetness. “What’s up, kid? He should be in his quarters.”</span>
</p><p><span>“He turned off</span> <span>his comm and the operator won’t let me through. He said dad held all incoming.”</span></p><p>
  <span>The kid’s tone prickles Ciel’s skin and he knows in an instant, “What’s wrong with Miss Rey? Is she okay? Is she with you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The kid whispers like it’s a secret. “She’s starting to have the baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ohhhhh crap.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Nonononononono. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“We are nowhere near the hyperlanes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“WHAT!??!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he hears his best friend’s wife screech in the background. “Then </span>
  <em>
    <span>WHERE ARE YOU?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He swallows. “Near Rolu-IV getting…” he flicks his eyes down, ashamed, even though no one can see him, “Chocolate.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Miss Rey yells a lot of things that Ciel can’t quite make out, but the word ‘chocolate’ is peppered throughout.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà moans at their stupidity. “How far out are you?” as his mother goes on in the background.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A sinking feeling blooms in the soldier’s chest. “Hours. Like, several hours.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy curses – and it’s a good one, too, but his good old uncle won’t hold it against him. </span>
  <span>“You need to get to dad. With mom feeling like this…” he trails off, but his meaning is clear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel shrugs, confused. “I thought you said she closed the bond, or whatever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Snorting, Rà snarks, “Yeah, well, I’m not too sure she’s on her ‘A-game’ right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ah, the child sounds more and more like him, every day. Heartwarming. Truly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Get back here, please. She needs him; I know she does. And I need to make sure he gets to see the birth of my baby sister.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stupidly, the soldier asks, “But what about the chocolate?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>To which Miss Rey lets out a furious howl that takes several years off Ciel’s life.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“C-L-Three-Three-Three-Seven, you get back here with my husband in tow OR I WILL STRIP OFF EVERY PIECE OF YOUR MANHOOD AND </span>
  <em>
    <span>FEED IT TO YOU!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The only thing left to say is a panicky, “Yes, ma’am!”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s face is pressed into the pillow and he’s on his hands and knees, sweating through his pain. It’s tolerable but getting worse. He’s having a hard time focusing on anything except the unintentional clenches of his muscles and the phantom throb within that he can’t understand. He arches his back to try to give himself some relief, but none comes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What the hell is wrong with him?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grinds his teeth and lets out a small groan of discomfort when he hears another ping for entry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He wants to scream at him. He wants to scream at everything. He’d put his saber through the goddamn wall right now if he felt like wasting the energy to stand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He denies the request once more.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel blinks at the red flash with concern. Oh, make no mistake, Ben’s shut him out before – when he’s moody, tired, on the can, or rubbing one out with his wife across the galaxy… but something tells him that Miss Rey isn’t rubbing much of </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything </span>
  </em>
  <span>down there at the moment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pings once more, figuring that multiple requests in rapid succession might indicate some kind of, I dunno, </span>
  <em>
    <span>urgency, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but he’s denied again. Grunting, he presses several keys on the pad.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Override.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Blips ring out in binary.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FN-2187 RN-2186 CL-3337”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The panel flashes green, Ciel lets himself in and, oh boy… what the actual hell?</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“GETOUTGETOUTGETOUT!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben screams, waving him away, ass in the air like he’s doing some kind of religious prayer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Damn it,” Ciel locks the door panel behind him. Staring at his whimpering friend, it becomes all too clear what’s happening. The kid was one-hundred percent right. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ben – uh, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but… you maaaayyyy or may not be in labor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“EXCUSE ME!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Monarch turns over his shoulder to look at Ciel with toe-curling fury.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Strike the ‘may not’. You are. You most definitely </span>
  <em>
    <span>are </span>
  </em>
  <span>in labor.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“WHAT!?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel sighs, only slightly fearing for his life. “Okay, I’ll say this nice and slow. Your-wife-is-giving-birth-and-</span>
  <em>
    <span>you-</span>
  </em>
  <span>Jedi-Master-</span>
  <span>Ben-Solo-are-</span>
  <em>
    <span>feeling-it!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The guttural sound of incredulousness that comes from his friend’s mouth is somehow precious. The soldier keeps his distance, as if Ben was a wild animal, but holds his hands up in a calming gesture.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, as soon as we finish receiving our shipment of chocolates, we’ll-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“CHOCOLATES!? WHO GIVES A F#$% ABOUT <em>CHOCOLATES?!?!?!?</em> If you don't get me back to my family </span>
  <em>
    <span>now,</span>
  </em>
  <span> I’ll shove them SO FAR UP YOUR ASS THAT YOU'LL </span>
  <em>
    <span>COUGH THEM OUT!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Well, damnit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Solos have it in for his undercarriage, today.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel huffs a sigh and shrugs. “I’m sure they’ll ship long-distance.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Breathe, Master Rey,” Sitala reminds.</span>
</p><p><span>“Of course I’m breathing!</span> <span>How the hell am I alive if I’m not </span><em><span>breathing?!” </span></em><span>Rey sneers, sitting on some kind of rubbery ball and clutching her belly, rocking her body back and forth as minutely as possible to try and soothe the pain.</span></p><p>
  <span>“Despite your distress, you must realize that you aren’t doing it properly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà lets out some kind of hissing, tsking sound, waving his hands in front of the Duro twin’s face, trying to silence her – albeit too late.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“GET OUT OF THIS ROOM!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>his mother screams, and the boy facepalms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s been methodically kicking every single creature out. She’s ousted </span>
  <em>
    <span>him </span>
  </em>
  <span>several times, too – but he’s ignoring her. He got to keep her from hurting others and hurting </span>
  <em>
    <span>herself </span>
  </em>
  <span>in her rage. The Darkness flurries through the air sweetly, and he feels tense with the urge to act. The hardest thing is that there’s nothing to </span>
  <em>
    <span>act </span>
  </em>
  <span>on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a waiting game. All his mother needs is </span>
  <em>
    <span>time</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>his dad.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And </span>
  <em>
    <span>him, </span>
  </em>
  <span>damnit, no matter how many times she tries to kick him out.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Breathe, Ben,” Ciel reminds.</span>
</p><p><span>“I’m going to kill you, you sonofabitch, I swear to</span> <span>the </span><em><span>Gods, </span></em><span>I’m going to kill you!” Ben rocks, clutching his stomach as things float around the room.</span></p><p>
  <span>“Okay, you’re a scary bastard right now, huh? Best-friend-to-best-friend, I’ve gotta let you know, I’ve pissed myself, like, eight times already. Ease up. Ease up and </span>
  <em>
    <span>breathe!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“YOU BREATHE!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, maybe that’s not a bad idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel sits back and tries to look at ease, despite the fear taking over his senses as furniture floats around his goddamned head. He hisses in a breath through his nose, holds it, and lets it out slowly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben looks at him, grimacing, but not hurling insults and threats for once, so that’s a good sign. Trying to mimic what meditation looks like, the soldier does it again. A deep inhale of air, hold it, and a slow exhale.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben looks conflicted, like he feels stupid – and he should – but he follows suit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thaaat’s it. We’re going to send that calmness right over to Miss Rey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Monarch keeps breathing. “I can’t reach her. I can’t feel her thoughts. All I can feel is,” he cramps again and swears, raking his hand out and mercilessly flinging over his desk table with the Force.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which startles his second-in-command. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Which makes him piss himself for, like, the </span>
  <em>
    <span>ninth</span>
  </em>
  <span> time.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Why, Master Rey – you’re glistening with sweat, and it’s just </span>
  <em>
    <span>gorgeous. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’d love to taste it from your skin and enjoy every flavor. I wonder if you taste like cinnamon or sex.” The male lifts an eyebrow. “Maybe a mix of the two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“WHAT THE HELL IS </span>
  <em>
    <span>HE</span>
  </em>
  <span> DOING IN HERE?” but it’s Rà that yells it, just having exited the ‘fresher. “I leave for </span>
  <em>
    <span>one minute!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he stomps over to the Duro male and unceremoniously starts shoving him out of the room. </span>
  <span>His mother doesn’t even care anymore. She’s so focused on the waves of pain that crash over her body that all else is just background noise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But she’ll be delicio-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I HATE YOU!” Rà slams the door in the male’s face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pacing, he watches his mom and wrings his hands together. He has no idea what to do to help. She should just take the damn medicine. The med droid nearby has offered it </span>
  <em>
    <span>many </span>
  </em>
  <span>times, as did the sentient midwife the twins had sent in. She’d exited pretty fast, though, once his mom started floating things around the room. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hima was fascinated… but Rà was more-than anxious. He’d sent anyone and </span>
  <em>
    <span>everyone </span>
  </em>
  <span>away so that they didn’t get hurt by accident (or accidentally-on-purpose, if they irritated her).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mother’s voice is eerie and detached through her harsh breathing, “I’m going to kill him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà blinks and halts. “Kill who?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She groans and whimpers a few times. “Your father.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And he relaxes. She’s already said that, like, a thousand times at this point, so he’s gone numb to the threat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He checks his comm and sees that his Uncle Ciel and dad have just hit the landing pad… but the message says they have a slight problem. Well, a significantly </span>
  <em>
    <span>unfortunate </span>
  </em>
  <span>problem. Rà goes a little white.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Umm, mom?” He looks at her, completely unsure of how to put this. “We, uh, we have to bring you to dad’s ship. He can’t come here.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her eyes snap to his like he’s insane. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy winces a little, hunching his shoulders. “He can’t be seen, right now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Again, voice flat. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà fiddles with his comm. “Because, ah, he’s in labor, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The string of curses that fly from his mother’s mouth slam his ears with filth he’s never heard before... and it’s nothing short of amazing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After he’s done being terrified, he’s going to repeat Every. One. Of. Those. Phrases. to his best friend.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nex will get a kick out of it.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“I HATE YOU! I HATE HIM! I HATE EVERYONE!”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, mom, I know,” Rà sighs, holding her clenching fist as they drift the hover-cot over to his father’s ship. Duro guards and shipyard personnel watch his mother go by with wide-eyed, amused, blasé, terrified, and strange expressions (depending on their personality).</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like hearing you scream precious. I wonder if you scream like this when you feel good, too. I’d love to hear you some day,” Alaja purrs and Rà wants to throw him into a wall.</span>
</p><p><span>His one comfort comes from the fact that Hima grips the male’s skin in a cruel pinch, making him wince and shut his stupid mouth. Good. If that creature utters one more word about his mother, Rà is going to sic his father</span> <span>on him. Let’s see how talkative he is </span><em><span>then. </span></em></p><p>
  <span>If it were up to him, Rà would have just left the whole Ayis family at home – no matter what the international backlash might be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Up the ramp, he can feel his father like a thunderclap in his mind and fears the storm that will come when his parents’ energies collide.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somehow, it’s only fitting that Starlight be born amidst a supernova.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>As soon as Miss Rey is wheeled in and placed on the bed beside him, Ben flails for her hand, clasping his fingers around hers, paying no mind to how her nails dig into him. He chants, ‘I’m sorry’ while she chants, ‘I hate you,’ but their connection has already settled them both… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though not the things floating in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ciel had dismissed the twins and their partners far outside of the Monarch’s quarters, ensuring that a very </span>
  <em>
    <span>limited</span>
  </em>
  <span> amount of souls would be allowed to see this empire of a man crippled by… sympathetic childbirth, of all things.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With the dyad together, they stare into one another eyes as the med-droid starts to tick off instructions about ‘breathing’ and’ pushing’. Wonder of wonders, the pair follows some goddamned orders for once. During a chant of 'push', Rey moans and Ben grits his teeth in agony, their hands gripped like vices on one another. </span>
  <span>With their next cry, some floating thing beside Ciel’s head </span>
  <em>
    <span>shatters </span>
  </em>
  <span>and Rà backs his uncle up and away, pressing them both against a wall, out of harms way and out of sight of his mother’s unmentionables.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The room holds in this swirling pattern of pushes, grunts, breaking things, and more pushes for what seems like an eternity – until a wet sound is heard and suddenly everything </span>
  <span>drops to the ground all at once with an ear splitting <em>crash.</em></span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s only the slightest pause before a soft cry is heard. Rà grabs his hand so hard, Ciel thinks it might rip off. At the same time, though, the soldier completely </span>
  <em>
    <span>gets it. </span>
  </em>
  <span>With only one cry, his heart is already melting into a million drops of unconditional love.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The relief is immediate, like her body was being ripped in half one minute and completely fine the next. A rush of adrenaline floods her senses and fills her with euphoria. In this moment, looking into Ben’s eyes, she notes that they almost seem the color of honey. His hair is matted with sweat and he looks an absolute </span>
  <em>
    <span>mess, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but he smiles and she feels her grin mirror his, accomplishment and triumph swelling between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the baby cries, she knows in an instant that she’ll love it until the day she dies.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s body is numb and tingling as the droid rests the baby between them. His baby. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Their </span>
  </em>
  <span>baby. He feels so full of love that he can barely contain it; it’s overflowing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But something is missing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns his head to see Rà standing against the wall, looking absolutely in love and more than a little lost. Ben holds his arm out to his son, beckoning with his heart about to burst with joy. </span>
  <span>“Come here, kiddo.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the boy approaches, it’s only moments before Ben pulls him into his arms, setting him against his chest, and laying down so that Rà can be next to the baby, too. </span>
  <span>It’s so small. Bright blue eyes stare at everything in wonder and Ben can feel that golden thread like never before, tying the family together in a new and inseverable way.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at his exhausted wife, who’s also more beautiful than he’s ever seen her, he runs a hand over her hair and whispers the word:</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Starlight.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It’s then that Rà starts to cry, slowly reaching his fingertips up to pet the softest skin he’s ever felt. His little sister is </span>
  <em>
    <span>real, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and the little golden thread still twines around him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The boy's voice is broken. “Y-you’re naming her Starlight?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His father’s embrace tightens and he plants a kiss against the top of Ra’s head, his mother caressing his cheek with adoration.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honey, </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>named her. You’re the only reason we knew she existed in the first place – and you’re the only reason we got her back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His mom looks at the baby with teary, love-filled eyes.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Starlight, meet your big brother. He’s been waiting for you for a long time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Rà curls around her like she’s a treasure, his father and mother leaning in close, touching their foreheads together and wrapping him in a cocoon of tenderness. His uncle stands beside them, resting both of his hands warmly on the Solo family. </span>
  <span>Peace and Light fill the room like soft cotton. Comforting. Wholesome. Right. The galaxy goes on all around them but, in this moment, nothing else exists. </span>
  <span>In this moment, everything is perfect.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rà’s smile is endless as he stares into those baby-blue eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He whispers through his happy tears, “Welcome home, little sister.”</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Sarah297 said that people are always lusting over Ben - it was time for someone to lust over Rey! So… there you go!</p><p>Here is a joke I wanted to make, but couldn’t fit in:<br/>Jade (Ciel’s #2) thinks Ciel and Ben are sleeping together when she hears the noises of Ben in labor. When Ciel is like Nonononono, she just pats him and sympathizes that pair bonding and monogamy are hard. And that Ari can be no picnic. </p><p>For the chapter image, I really had so many ideas for this one. I had Ciel walking Ben through Lamaze. I had Ben and Rey grabbing their stomachs, looking at the camera, and sobbing these hysterical / anime-style tears. So many options!! In the end, I decided to go "soft."</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Family Ties (WE ARE NOT COUSINS)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p><p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3 </p><p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <br/>
    
  </p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p><b>Where:</b> Karuvis</p><p><b>Time:</b> AS (After Starlight)</p><p><b>Tags:</b> Coming-of-Age, Young Love (T-rated), Adoption, Memories of childhood trauma, brief thoughts of violence</p><p><b>POV: </b>Rà / Finn / Nex</p><p> </p><p><b>THIS IS A RÁ CHAPTER</b>. Ben definitely plays a big part in it, but it’s 100% about Rà. If you’re not into that character, you can skip this one. (PS – Since Rà and Nex are more introverted characters, there is more prose-like writing here than I normally write for this storyline. This is an intentional choice.)</p><p>This is also <b>not a fluff chapter</b>. ‘Tis an “all the feels” chapter. So – you know. I hope I give you all the feels.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>“Yes. Yes, you know I love you,” Rà coos to his two-year-old sister, fiddling with her legs, making her laugh and roll onto her back. “Someday you’re going to stop being in diapers, and on that day, I will <em> dance – </em>did you know that?”</p><p>He does the needful, addressing the concerns that come with the toddler’s bodily functions.</p><p>“Rà! Nope!” She starts kicking a bit, annoyingly.</p><p>“Star, yup,” he retorts, holding her squirmy body down as he tries to thwart the run she’s trying to wiggle away for. This child loves to scurry around naked.</p><p>He hears a knock at the door and his mother laughs at them, gently. “I would have done it,” she reminds him.</p><p>The fifteen-year-old shrugs with an, “I don’t mind,” even as he scowls, trying to pin the little girl.</p><p>“Nope!” she yelps.</p><p>“Yup!” he calls back, more sternly.</p><p>Job done, he releases his baby sister to the wild. She wobbly-bolts in the opposite direction, wearing only her diaper and giggling like she just got away with something good – though maybe she did. It’s summer out and she flings herself through the open doorway, rolling into the grass of their private courtyard.</p><p>“Come!” she yells, tumbling, but not caring too much either way. That kid is indestructible.</p><p>His mom braces her body, smiles at him, then <em> chases </em>that little girl out the door, growling a playful, “C’mere, you!” </p><p>Rà grins after them until his comm beeps.</p><p>Damn.</p><p>Training time with his dad… and Nex.</p><p>His father trains <em> all </em> the orphanage kids, usually in one big group, but he gives Nex special attention. Knowing that she gets panicky about being touched, he’d decided to train her separately. There are very few that she’ll accept contact from – but Rà is one of them, which means he’s her sparring partner, constantly.  </p><p>And she kicks his butt, constantly.</p><p>It’s hard to balance training with her and being afraid to break her trust. It’s even <em> harder </em> because she’s, um… ‘blossoming.’ That’s what Auntie Ari calls it, anyway. All Rà knows is that she’s getting soft in all the right places and it’s hard to grapple her without grappling the wrong thing.</p><p>And when he accidently happens upon the 'wrong thing', she might not notice – but he <em> definitely does </em>. In fact, he doesn’t even have to touch her to notice her. Or think about her.</p><p>Constantly.</p><p>So she wins. He’d probably win if he fought her properly, but he won’t. His parents might be able to attack each other, but he can’t aim his aggression at the girl he…</p><p>…likes.</p><p>As a friend!</p><p>The ‘Jedi Master’ tells him that, by holding back, he’s stunting Nex’s growth and keeping her from improving, but then he also winks at him. Rà doesn’t know how to feel about that wink.</p><p>He’s not sure how to feel about his father in general.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>“USE THE SABER!” Master Solo calls, but her friend doesn’t even bother grabbing it from the holster slung around his waist.</p><p>Instead, Rà launches his hand forward to grab at the tip of Nex’s staff, aiming to either pull it from her hands or throw her off balance and flip her. Smirking through the action, the girl decides to heed her Master, even if her friend doesn’t.</p><p>When Rà’s fingers latch onto her pole and start to pull, she lets go completely, getting <em> him </em> off balance when he experiences no resistance. She takes her stance and raises her hand rapidly, calling to the saber in his belt and gritting her teeth to do it. She is <em> not </em>good at this part and it’s snugly tucked in there, but she actually manages it, this time!</p><p>Rà’s grandmother’s saber rips from his side and snaps into her palm. When she lights and twirls it, it’s rushed-and-sloppy, only <em> sort of </em>resembling when Master Solo does it. Putting herself on guard, she juts her chin at the man-child in front of her, daring him to approach.</p><p>His expression darkens and he throws the staff on the grass, giving up and stepping back – obviously frustrated. As soon as he gives way, though, his father dashes in from Nex’s periphery and takes up the weapon, coming in at her as if the saber wouldn’t cut that wooden stick in half.</p><p>Using his reach to his benefit, he jabs at the girl, always pulling back just in time so she can’t burn the tip of his polearm. Irritated, her moves become erratic and she begins to leave openings, despite having the superior weapon.</p><p>Master starts tagging her lightly, using the staff to touch her hip, her calf, her shoulder, anything that she’s leaving defenseless as she tries to make him take even a single step back. Sneering, she decides to go for it, lines up the saber blade parallel to the ground, and makes the firm decision to rush him.</p><p>Whether he took it from her mind or predicted it from her movements, she’ll never really know, but the end is the same. He completely sidesteps her, letting her pass by, and tags her on the back. A Death Blow.</p><p>Rà basically ‘Eeps’ and darts out of the way as the laser sword pokes too close to him before Nex spins around in a neat arc, nipping off the tip of her Master’s weapon. There is a short moment of triumph, but the man merely drops the pole like it doesn’t matter, smiling at her and opening his arms in invitation.</p><p>With a growl, she comes at him, waving her blade in something that <em> should </em>look like the Ataru form, but she completely lacks the agility to pull it off properly. The fact that he evades her is a given, but her mind is calculating how to trip him up. How to feint and catch him off guard.</p><p>She can’t.</p><p>In the end, after a close call where she almost lops off her own leg, her thumb releases the trigger in panic and he calls the hilt to him, faster than a whip. She’s panting, hands on her knees and sweating – but her Master doesn’t look at all affected. He just bounces the heavy metal in his palm and grins at her.</p><p>“You switched forms.”</p><p>Her voice comes out in harsh bursts. “Well… I… <em> tried, </em>anyway.”</p><p>Master hums, satisfied with her answer. He doesn’t like it when any of his students get too cocky. It’s good when they try new things, but they have to be quick to admit when they fail. He says it’s the only way to learn. That overconfidence can get you killed and, given how many times he tapped her today, that seems one-hundred percent true.</p><p>“I like Ataru for you; it’s a good choice.” Without a word, he tosses the hilt back to his son, who seemed to be waiting for it. Catching it fluidly, he slips it back into its holster and only looks slightly annoyed. “Soresu might be better for now, though. Help you tighten up your defense.”</p><p>Still out of breath and leaning over, she nods. “Yes, Master.”</p><p>“Feeling good?” he quirks an eyebrow at her, and she can’t help but smile.</p><p>“Yeah. I like it when you have to jump in.” She casts a look at Rà flippantly. “Then I get a real challenge.”</p><p>“Ha-Ha,” her friend states, drily. “Very funny. Never mind forms – you should be a comedian.”</p><p>Laughing now, “You and Finn should come with me. You can make stupid jokes like, ‘Take my uncle… <em> please’,” </em>and this finally softens up her friend, earning her a scoff.</p><p>Stretching his arms, Master Solo sighs happily. “Okay, you two. Cool downs. I’ve got to go get the others into shape. I’ll see you both, tomorrow.”</p><p>Watching the man prepare to leave, Nex can almost see it happen; the way Master Solo straightens his shoulders and wipes the soft expression from his face before walking off to confront the rest of the galaxy. </p><p>She knows from experience that the other kids can still get him off his guard enough to earn a smile (or the much-coveted laugh), but she always feels sad that her Master distances himself in the first place. She can only hope that, as time goes on, it will get better and better for him. That the threats against him will get smaller and smaller as he continues to be the good man that they all know today… not the horrible man from history class.  </p><p>She wants to be strong and protect her Master if she can. If not just for the fact that he saved her, then also because he’s Rà’s father. She looks at her friend as he works through his end-game stretches and can’t help that her eyes linger too long. He’s beautiful. Becoming stronger every day. She likes him.</p><p>As more than just a friend.</p><p>Always has.</p><p>From his movement, she can tell he’s still frustrated, even though he puts on a good show. She approaches slowly from behind and leans to the side, peeking around his back as her auburn hair slides over her shoulder.</p><p>“Hey.”</p><p>He rolls his eyes at her.</p><p>She tries again with a smile, “Hey. You wanna do the thing?”</p><p>He looks at her with his eyebrows up and a slight look of incredulousness. “You want me to do the thing?”</p><p>She shrugs, standing upright. “If it will make you feel better.”</p><p>Grumpy, he grits his teeth, ashamed of himself. “It <em> always </em>makes me feel better.”</p><p>Nex knows quite well that her friend battles the Darkness inside him. When he’s hurt (like his wounded pride at being disarmed), or angry (at his father stepping in to do what he can’t), or when he’s afraid. </p><p>Afraid of the Legacy that stands right in front of him every time he looks at his father. The good… and the bad.</p><p>She doesn’t quite understand it, but she knows that feeling is intensely real for him. The least she can do is let him blow off some steam. </p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>The rockface shatters ever so accurately on the right-hand side. His grimace is actually a pleased one as he focuses on the urge to destroy and bursts another section. This one is sloppy, though, cutting into the stone too deeply and marring the surface.</p><p>Rà is sculpting with the Force. He loves to use its ‘mystic power’ for stupid things it’s not meant for. It’s his way of mocking power that’s brought him so much pain; even though he loves it, too.</p><p>It’s a complex feeling.</p><p>So he acts out. He used to act out on people by mistake, but now he acts out on <em> things. </em>He loves art, so pulling apart nature to form something beautiful would be an amazing accomplishment… if he could do it right.</p><p>Too bad they’re all ugly.</p><p>His dad keeps them anyway. Says he’s proud of them. That’s they’re <em> beautiful, </em>even though they never come out as Rà had intended. There is an entire garden peppered with his lopsided, misshapen messes.</p><p>He hates that damn garden.</p><p>Still, even with his continued failure, he can see improvement. Better control of where he breaks things. Of how he uses the threads of the Force around him to move the pieces away more delicately than he used to. It’s hard; exhausting – but exactly what he needs.</p><p>Nex is folded behind him in meditation, and he can feel the Light of her calmness all around him. It’s soothing, and he finds his negative feelings ebbing away. Between ‘the thing’ he does to give in to his Darkness <em> (the Force is neither good nor bad, it just is) </em> and his best friend, he’ll be able to keep the Balance. He’s sure of it.</p><p>His parents say that, as long as you use the Force to do good things, it doesn’t matter what side you use. The problem is that he doesn’t always want to do <em> good things. </em> Sometimes he wants to do angry, petty, <em> spiteful </em> things, and he knows why. </p><p>He’s thought of telling Nex about it so many times, has thought through her every reaction, and he’s clear on only one thing: she’ll listen. She might react with sympathy, she might laugh it off, or she might beat the crap out of him for being so stupid – but any of those would be okay. </p><p>As long as she doesn’t <em> pity </em>him. He doesn’t need any more pity in his life.</p><p>Sitting next to his friend, he places his hands behind him and leans back, letting the warmth of the sun settle on his body, even as his muscles wind into anxious knots. </p><p>“This has to bother you, right? Me doing…” he nods towards yet another failed attempt at beauty. </p><p>She snorts sarcastically but doesn’t move out of her pose, her knees splayed out, her ankles crossed, and her wrists laying limply along her thighs. Her lack of reaction gives him the courage to keep talking. </p><p>“I’m just angry all the time. I need to be able to let it out, or else I’m afraid it’s going to destroy everything else I am.” That feeling is all too real. Like the Darkness inside him is only growing. He takes a breath, plowing forward. “And it’s because of my father,” he says, regretting it almost immediately. One step too far – but it’s too late to take it back.</p><p>His friend’s eyelids flutter open, and he looks tenderly at her freckles.</p><p>“My <em> real </em> father,” he clarifies, ashamed.</p><p>Unfolding her legs, Nex turns to face him. Of all the things they talk about, it’s never ‘what happened to them before they were touched by the actions of Ben Solo’. </p><p>She leans in, no judgement, not even concern; she just quietly waits for him to speak again. </p><p>The next part is the really hard-to-say part. The whiny, crybaby part. The ‘poor me’ sob-story part. The part where, the more and more he thinks about it, the more and more it hurts – and it never gets any better. It just turns from sadness to sorrow to anger to rage<em> .  </em></p><p>“Before…” he starts, already faltering, “…just, you know, <em> before... </em>my real dad was afraid of me. Afraid of the power I had. I didn’t know how to control it back then, I was just too young, you know? And he would… hurt me. But that only made it worse.</p><p>“Before he started doing that, I felt the Light more than the pull to the Dark, I’m sure of it. I made flowers grow and talked to people that had passed on.”</p><p>“Force ghosts?” she gets a little excited, having never seen one.</p><p>“Maybe,” he concedes. “I don’t really remember.</p><p>“Once he started hurting me, though – it was harder to do. I was just afraid all the time. And so sad. The person who I loved the most didn’t love me back anymore. Almost hated me. Wanted to cut the Force out of me, like a sickness.”</p><p>He shudders. Now that the words have started, they just keep coming.</p><p>“I didn’t have a mom. No other family. No one to help me, or even see what was happening. The other kids hated me, so I doubt they’d have cared, even if they noticed. Probably would have thought I deserved it.</p><p>“Even now, some of the others here don’t like me. Either because I’m like <em> this,” </em>he gestures at himself, “Or because I’m the fake-son of Kylo Ren.”</p><p>Reaching over, Nex strokes his bangs away from his face, brushing them back and into his braids.</p><p><em> “Master Solo,” </em> she corrects. “And, do you really hate being his son all that much?”</p><p>Rà leans forward and folds himself over his bent knees, resting his chin on them in thought. </p><p>“Sometimes, I think about finding my real father. Tracking him down. I hope he’s just as poor and filthy as he was when he abandoned me. I want to show him that I’m strong, in control, and that he was stupid to throw me away. I want to make him <em> regret </em> it. </p><p>“I want him to look me up on the holo-net and see how someone he thought had so much evil inside him is learning to become a strong leader, respected by his father’s peers. His <em> new </em>father.</p><p>“But then I remember who my new father is… and I wonder if the man who left me behind would be impressed at all. Or whether he’d still be afraid.”</p><p>He starts ripping up the grass with his hands, letting the strands fall down and just breathing in the scent of it.</p><p>Nex looks away towards the horizon. “What planet were you from?”</p><p>“Ketzali. Just outside of Hutt space.”</p><p>A smile blooms on his friend and she thwacks him heavily on the back, completely changing the atmosphere into something less… heavy. </p><p>“Then that’s where we’re going!”</p><p>He blanches. “We’re doing what now?”</p><p>Her smile becomes a grin as she looks at him, devilishly. “I just happen to know that Finn is headed near Hutt space in that very sector.”</p><p>Shrugging, “What for?”</p><p>She mocks her favorite adult, “Trying to end slavery, like always.”</p><p>Rà scowls. He and his family have been pressing that button for years with little traction. Maybe more Alliance pressure will move the needle.</p><p>“So?” she intones slyly, drawing out the end of the word.</p><p>Rolling his eyes, he can’t help but counter, “What are the odds he’s even there?”</p><p>Picking at her clothes, “You do remember that I can sometimes see snatches of the future, right?” Her unspoken words are, ‘You Moron.’</p><p>He moves to grab her shoulder but thinks better of it. “You saw something? Just now, while you were meditating?”</p><p>Her plucking continues as a smug expression takes over her face.</p><p>Rà laughs a staccato sound… but only for a moment. After that, apprehension rolls in. “Dad will never let me go.”</p><p>Nex shrugs, “He doesn’t have to know. You’ll be with Finn.”</p><p><em> “Finn </em>might not let me go!”</p><p>She scoffs, “You know that man does whatever I ask him to do.”</p><p>Touché.</p><p>Feeling sullen, he can’t help but ask, “Did you see how it went? Did I…?”</p><p>“Win?” she supplies.</p><p>That describes it just as well as anything else, he supposes, so he just nods.</p><p>“No, I didn’t see that,” she shakes her head, sadly. “But no matter what happens, you won’t have to be stuck in this loop of worrying about it, anymore. Whatever happens, will happen. Then you’ll accept it. Then you’ll move on.”</p><p>He grumbles, “Like it’s that easy.”</p><p>Tipping her head to the side, she admits, “No.” </p><p>Instead of thwacking him, she reaches in and touches him reassuringly, running her fingers over his bare back, and it’s enough to prickle every inch of his skin.</p><p>Leaning in again, so incredibly close, she whispers, “I’ll help you.”</p><p>Rà comes to a single realization in that moment. Just like his uncle, <em> he’ll </em> do anything she says, too.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>“It’s Uncle / Nephew time!” Finn states happily, watching as Ben’s eyebrows meet his hairline.</p><p>“Then why don’t you want to bring Ciel?”</p><p>Finn jabs his fingers into his temples. “Please. Please, no. That man is in my every recent memory – can we just <em> not </em>for once?”</p><p>Ben sighs, likely disappointed he won’t get a break from his second in command. No matter how much you love the man, everyone needs time away from that smart-mouth.</p><p>“Fine,” Ben gives in. “Rà knows Enja, anyway, so that might give you another ‘in’. He eats like his mother, so the Hutt likes to feed him weird things to see what he’ll tolerate.”</p><p>Grimacing, the once-trooper says, “Nex won’t like that. Hell, <em> I </em>won’t like that.”</p><p>Those eyebrows hit the sky, again. “You’re bringing <em> Neska, </em>too?”</p><p>“She’s going to kill you if she finds out you used her full name.”</p><p>Ben waves his hands, stuttering in irritation, “What makes you think that’s a good idea?”</p><p>Finn bristles. “They’re besties! She only gets to see him a few weeks at a time!”</p><p>Sighing, Ben deflates. It’s only a moment until his eyes grow hard, though. “Fine, fine. But you need to bring a big enough ship. Under <em> no circumstances </em>should they be allowed to sleep in the same quarters.”</p><p>Confused, “Why? They’ve always shared bunks.”</p><p>Ben puts his face in his hands.</p><p>“It’s <em> that </em> important?”</p><p>But the Monarch just waves at him again, something like humor and disgust crossing his face. “If you don’t know, I’m not going to explain it to you. You’ll figure it out. Just – do this, or you get a ‘no’ from me.”</p><p>“Fine, fine,” Finn mimic’s Ben’s tone, smiling while he does it. “Whatever you want, <em> dad.” </em></p><p>Ben grumps and clicks off his comm without saying goodbye.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Flick. Flick, flick. Snap.</p><p>Sigh.</p><p>Flick. Snap, snap. Shuffle.</p><p>Sigh.</p><p>This is what Finn hears in the cockpit of his ship while Rà sits beside him, stuffed with something to say but not saying it. Instead, he toggles pointless switches. Comm channel open; comm channel closed. Deflectors off, on at 10%, on at 50%, and off again.</p><p>Finn is about to lose his mind.</p><p>Nex stands between them, looking out the viewscreen into the stars, and then <em> she </em>starts sighing too, fidgeting and moving from one foot to the other. Quite obviously something is up, but they’ve been weird lately. Angsty. Finn knows that if he says the wrong thing, he’ll shut them down. Again.</p><p>Teenagers, he guesses.</p><p>“So, Enja’s not scary, Nex, okay? Weird, and pretty gross, but not scary. We’ve got some extra time, so I figured I’d comm him and guilt him into letting us catch a few pod races from his box, you know? Those things are <em> ridiculous, </em>I’m just gonna put that out there. I’m surprised half of the racers don’t... what?”</p><p>Both kids are staring at him with wide eyes and he can feel this kind of simmering tension in the air. He doesn’t even need the Force to be wary about it.</p><p>Nex coughs into her hand. “I’ll just… give you guys some <em> alone </em>time. You know – man-to-man time.”</p><p>Finn jokes, “I’d need a man for that,” and moves to ruffle Rà’s hair, but the boy smacks his hand away, eying him with pure aggravation. “What?!” Finn repeats for the second time, completely unaware of what the hell is going on.</p><p>Slipping out of the room, Nex gives them some space and Finn flips on the autopilot, turning to look at his nephew. The boy doesn’t return the favor.</p><p>Rà hums. “So, we have time, then. Have you told Enja we’re coming early?”</p><p>Shaking his head, Finn says, “No – I was gonna make sure you kids were up for the pod-thing before I asked. It is <em> not </em>for the faint of heart.”</p><p>He has a quick beat to wonder if he said the wrong thing again as Rà purses his lips, looking out into the black.</p><p>“I have a favor I need to ask you.”</p><p>Oh man. Here it comes. Whatever it is… it’s coming…</p><p>“I want you to take me back to my homeworld,” Rà says, carefully.</p><p>Feeling his stomach drop, Finn immediately decides he doesn’t want to have this conversation. “How come?”</p><p>“I want you to take me back to my house, if you can remember it.”</p><p>Finn’s heart breaks a little bit. He sticks his tongue into his cheek and rolls it around while thinking. “Kid-“</p><p>Rà’s eyes snap to his, “I’m not a <em> kid.” </em></p><p>Sighing, Finn realizes that he’s right. The ex-trooper was already prepping for tours at this point – before they moved him to sanitation, anyway.</p><p>“Okay, look… <em> assuming </em> we do this, which is a big ‘assume’… why? What good is visiting that place going to do? You got friends I don’t know about?”</p><p>After another awkward pause, Rà quietly says, “Nex said I’ll be able to see my father there. My <em> real </em> father.”</p><p>And the cockpit goes cold. His nephew is quiet a moment, his fingers sliding over the switches again; not tweaking them – just feeling. Grounding himself.</p><p>“Do you ever wonder?” Rà’s voice comes out deep and, for the first time, Finn notices it.</p><p>“Wonder what?”</p><p>There is a bit of a pause as his nephew considers his words. “Do you ever wonder if you were just taken away… or if you were <em> given? </em>To the First Order, I mean.”</p><p>It takes a minute for Finn to process what the kid is asking and, when he does, he sits back, uncomfortable with the question.</p><p>“Which would have been better, Uncle Finn? To know that your parents couldn’t protect you, or to know that they <em> wouldn’t?” </em> Rà asks sullenly. Almost reverent in his approach to the topic. To the weight of it.</p><p>“Mine <em> wouldn’t… </em> and I just need to see if this man still exists. I want to look him in the eyes and tell him that I don’t have the devil inside me. That he was wrong. That I’m <em> good.” </em></p><p>The way the boy says it, Finn fears that his nephew might be trying to convince <em> himself </em>as much as he is anyone else.</p><p>Slumping, the ex-trooper tries to soothe the unexpected pain that Rà’s question brings up. The way it wrecks the way he constructs his world. Finn boxes issues like that away – never addressing them. Turning a blind eye knowing that, no matter what, the answer won’t do him any good.</p><p>Now, the question is: If they go and do this, would Ben be angry?</p><p>The answer is: No. Just upset. And hurt. And sad.</p><p>Which is why Finn won’t tell him.</p><p>“I don’t remember where your house is – but I know the town. I did my first trooper-rehabilitation work there. and I’ve visited it a couple times since. If your dad asks – well… let’s just hope he won’t ask.”</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>It’s like walking through a dream. Surreal. Like Rà is seeing shapes from ancient memories come alive again in the roads and buildings ahead of him. His uncle doesn’t need to show him the way, after all – even with the small changes they’ve made, Rà knows exactly where he is. The last time he was here was more than half his life ago, but he still remembers.</p><p><em> That’s </em> the alley where he ran away from Gerun. The Ishi Tib male had decided that the best way to handle Rà was by throwing rocks at him. The boy had lost consciousness, bled for a bit, and then stayed in that alley long after he woke up, just to make sure the bully was gone.</p><p>Over <em> there </em> is the road to Ahnkai, the valley where Rà used to make the flowers grow faster by using his grasp on the Light. It was so hard to keep those fragile blooms alive outside of the valley’s special air, but he’d managed to do it. Yet another unnatural thing his father hated.</p><p><em>There’s</em> the school – so much smaller than he remembers; all the kids seem smaller, too. Of course they’re different children now but, back then, the others of his age seemed to loom so large. Now, it's different. <em>Now,</em> if he wanted to, he could rend a hole in the building and send these little brats scattering.</p><p>It’s only a passing thought, though. The children he would have wanted to punish would have grown by now. </p><p>Perhaps he should find the upper-level school.</p><p>But the main road drags him away from that dark fantasy and ever closer to the back streets that take him home. Funny that he still wants to use that word. Maybe it’s because he currently hops from planet to planet. Instead of ‘homes’, he has ‘places he stays’, but this is different. The structure he heads to now is singular. If not safe, then consistent. The only option.</p><p>Is that what ‘home’ is supposed to mean, though?</p><p>He wanders with his uncle and his friend trailing behind him like ghosts. Nex slips her hand into his, but he barely notices. Neither that, nor the blush that rises on her cheeks when she does it, nor the rapt attention his uncle pays to the small gesture. No, he’s too busy approaching the brink of a moment he’s been waiting years for. On the edge of a dream – or a nightmare, maybe.</p><p>When he sees his real-father, not surprised it had been so <em> easy, </em>the man has his back turned away – whistling. Finn had told him that his father had abandoned him; taken everything from the house and disappeared – yet here he is. Same house. Same man. </p><p>Is it possible that his real-father didn’t actually leave him? Was this all a misunderstanding? A mistake? A tragic, horrible, life-altering mistake? </p><p>The man looks smaller, just like everything else. Rà wants to open his mouth, wants to <em> say something </em> – one of the fantastic one-liners he’d plotted over the years… but they’re all gone. His mind is totally empty and, for the first time in a long time, the shadows around him seem to bleed and shimmer along the cracks in the cobblestones.</p><p>It’s <em> that </em> that catches his real-father’s attention. Out of anything that could have brought his gaze to his son, of course it had to be <em> that. </em> It doesn’t even surprise Rà when the man’s mouth opens in a round ‘O’ and whatever he was holding tumbles to the ground.</p><p>Books. </p><p>Oh yeah <em> – books. </em> His real-father had instilled in him a great love of written words. He especially liked paper tomes that smelled like the plants they were made from. Overwhelming nostalgia grips Rà as he scans over titles he’s never seen before, wondering if there is a new boy his father reads to.</p><p>“Are they good?” is what he chokes out in the end. Unable to look up from the lettered spines, he clarifies. “The books, I mean. Have you already read them, or…?” He’s too far gone to even understand how lame that was, though he’ll reflect on it in <em> great depth, </em>later. It’s only when his real-father stutters that Rà finally looks up at him, begging for something he can’t name.</p><p>“R-Rà?” The man begins to tremble. Is he sad? Is he happy? Happy to finally see his son’s face again, after all this time?</p><p>“You left...” Rà’s accusation comes out as almost a whisper. The crack that had matured out of his voice some time ago comes back, making him sound younger than he is. In this moment, though, it doesn’t matter. Nothing else exists – just Rà and his father.</p><p>“I… I did,” the older man admits.</p><p>Tears prickle grey and baggy eyes, one and then the other. They get caught in crows feet and laugh lines. The man shakes like a leaf and the boy’s heart can't help but melt, wanting so much to hear, ‘I’m sorry’ or, ‘I made a mistake.’ </p><p>That he always loved him.</p><p>It dawns on Rà that he doesn’t even know his father’s first name anymore.</p><p>“I left, but I came back because…” the older man falters, looking left and right, obviously choosing his words. “…because I was <em> afraid! </em> I was afraid that you’d be left alone. All I could picture was you scared and hungry.”</p><p>Rà quickly forgets that his father had refused to feed him quite often.</p><p>And that he was the reason the boy was afraid.</p><p>The once-helpless child asks a hopeful, “You wanted me back? You didn’t want to get rid of me?”</p><p>There is another pause from his father as he swallows. “Never,” he leans forward, pointing at himself as his voice gets pitchy. “I left because the Jedi <em> wanted you </em> and I was afraid of what he’d do to me in order to <em> take you.” </em></p><p>Rà’s stomach flips within him, betrayal like a vicious knife in his guts.</p><p>
  <em> “LIAR!” </em>
</p><p>It’s only at that point that Rà remembers that his uncle exists. Finn steps in front, blocking him from his father with a protective arm, which Rà has half a mind to snap like a twig.</p><p><em> “NEVER! </em> That <em> never happened!” </em>Finn bellows.</p><p>The real-father winces before his eyes harden. “Who are you? How would you know, anyway?”</p><p>Clenching his fists and leaning in, Finn hisses, “Because we <em> waited for you. </em> I came here, and I felt <em> nothing but your fear. </em> You left it behind like a cloud! Ben only wanted you to love your son! He took him to the Falcon to teach him to Balance himself, so you would stop <em> terrorizing him!” </em></p><p>And it slowly starts to seep back into Rà’s mind. Vague memories of those first days with ‘Master Ren’. Counting… what was it? Something. Something to calm him down. Flowers, yeah, that’s it. And then young-him got to open the blue and red holocrons; he remembers that part vividly. Looking around his uncle, who continues to rant, Rà regards the old man and realizes that his real-father is lying. It hits him like a throbbing pulse of truth. </p><p>A trick. Those words were a self-preservationist’s <em> trick. </em> What Rà had hoped was a tremble of emotion and heartbreak was actually <em> fear. </em> Even after all these years, his father is still afraid of him. In the moment the old man had recognized him, his first thought was that Rà had come to seek <em> revenge. </em></p><p>It’s like he doesn’t feel anything at all for a minute. He just comes to grips with reality. He thinks back, trying to remember why he came here. He wanted… what? Reconciliation and quarterly visits? Did he want to leave the life he’s built to come back here and be embraced by this terrified man? Did he just want to stop being Rà Solo?</p><p>Why was he here?</p><p>The yelling is drowned out like a faint murmur as the two men in front of him jab their fingers and call each other names; all the once-boy hears is white noise. Rà mildly tips his head to look at the stone tile roof.</p><p>He could bring it down. He could bring it <em> all </em>down. This house. The neighbors’ houses. He could level this whole block if he wanted to. And, if he did, he would save the trembling man for last. This wretched non-man. Pitiful. An ant, really. No one misses bugs when you squash them. If his father wanted Rà to come for retribution, then why not finally live up to his expectations?</p><p>But a golden thread pulses around his heart, breaking him from his train of thought. His little sister never sends him <em> words, </em> no – but she still knows when he’s hurting. <em> Really </em>hurting. It dawns on him that, if he had stayed with this man all that time ago, he’d never have met his Master. Or his mother. His little sister would have been lost. </p><p>Rà was rescued, and he knows it. Just like all the other kids on Karuvis. He was ‘Master Ren’s’ first act of redemption. Whether it was out of pity or not, it still led him to where is now.</p><p>Cooly, Rà cuts into the conversation, silencing both men. “The Jedi saved me. From you. He took me in, adopted me, and <em> loved me. </em> He was never afraid of me – not even once. Now, I have a family. Nothing you say can take that away or <em> taint </em>it. I won’t let you.”</p><p>He places a hand on his uncle’s shoulder, moving him back so he can face his father. His <em> fake- </em>father. Right then and there, Rà understands quite clearly – he was meant to be the son of Ben Solo.</p><p>Rà stands proudly, keeping his back straight and tall. “Seeing you has made me realize something: I’m glad that you left me behind. Do you want to know why?” </p><p>The pathetic man doesn’t even bother answering.</p><p>“Because it was the only way I was able to become what I was meant to be.”</p><p>Wordlessly, holding his head up high, Rà turns and walks away. He doesn’t run. He doesn’t cry. He just lets go. His vision is still narrow, he can only focus on the next step ahead but, even so, he’s walking the path he’s supposed to be on. </p><p>It’s time to let the past die.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Nex watches Rà walk away, Finn eyeing that disgusting liar with malice before following, but Nex isn’t ready to leave. Not by a long shot.</p><p>She looks at the defeated man, shoulders hunched and red-faced. He looks back at her, flippantly, but wary – like he’s waiting for her to start yelling, too. But she’s not going to yell.</p><p>She clasps her hands behind her back and steps closer, trying to make herself look as soft as possible to get the man’s guard down.</p><p>“You know what?” she asks.</p><p>The man shakes his head, nonplussed.</p><p>And she <em> decks </em>him.</p><p>Her fist slams so hard against the man’s face that she’s sure she feels something crunch. It hurts her, but not nearly as much as she hopes it hurts <em> him. </em></p><p>When he falls to the ground, crying out and holding his bloody face, she flicks her hand slightly to work off the pain, shaking out her fingers and letting the air breathe stinging breaths on the crescent moons she just pummeled into her palm.</p><p>Blowing on her knuckles, Nex turns to follow the others.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Rà doesn’t know what to say when they get back onboard. His uncle hugs him, and he lets it happen. Nex looks at him with an expression he doesn’t understand and then gives him space.</p><p>Going to the common area, he sinks down onto the seating – but it’s too soft. Too comforting. He feels dirty. He might have said the right things, but his thoughts…</p><p>He slides down off the padding and onto the cold, unforgiving steel of the floor panels, burying his face into his arms and resting them on his knees. He comes to terms with another truth. He may not have a devil inside him… but that doesn't mean he’s <em> good </em>. This isn’t about the Dark side of the Force. This runs deeper within him.</p><p>He’s not just lonely, no. Rà Solo is broken.</p><p>Lost in himself, he doesn’t notice his friend’s approach until he feels a cold sting against the back of his neck. Hissing and sitting up, he sees her looking down at him with an eyebrow cocked and offering him a random beverage-of-choice. Taking it with a sour expression, he bristles when she settles down on the floor beside him.</p><p>“I think I’d rather be alone, thanks,” but the ‘thanks’ is fairly sarcastic.</p><p>“So?</p><p>He blinks at her. “So? So go away.”</p><p>Ignoring him, she twists open the top of her canteen and starts to drink. When she does – Rà can’t help but notice her knuckles. Scuffs graze the surface, scabbed over. Eyes wide, he takes her hand, forgetting to think twice about touching her. Bringing her closer for inspection, he knowingly turns her hand over to see the imprints her fingernails left behind. </p><p>He tsks at her, “If you’re going to go around punching people, you need to trim those better,” chiding her softly, turning her hand back over clinically before remembering whose hand he’s fawning over and drops it like a hot stone.</p><p>Grabbing the canister she’d brought him, he takes a few deep swigs, the cold drops edging from the corners of his mouth, carelessly. Morose and bitter, Rà states, “I hope you made him bleed.”</p><p>She smiles. “Yeah, I did.”</p><p>“Good.”</p><p>They sit in silence for a minute, each in their own world.</p><p>The words don’t catch, he just lets them out. “I believed him for a minute, you know.” Acid burns in the back of his throat at his own stupidity. “When I realized he was lying, I… I thought about hurting him. <em> Really </em>hurting him.”</p><p>And everyone around him.</p><p>Rà sets his head back against the cushions, filled with self-loathing, but Nex’s fingers wrap around his. He looks down at their clasped hands like they’re completely foreign things, knitting his brow together as he stares. She just looks off into nowhere, drinking her drink, like this doesn’t matter to her at all.</p><p>Like this is normal.</p><p>Like he’s not a monster.</p><p>He looks at their hands again, hyper aware of her every pore. Aware of a single strand of her hair that’s gone astray and lays limp over her wrist. Aware of her breath and the rhythmic cadence of it. Aware of how she’s absolutely nerve-wracking him at the same time as her calm aura tries to soothe. </p><p>It doesn’t work, though. His mind is too busy being on fire, filled with love and hate aimed in different directions. Filled with a desire to do things he’d get in <em> so much trouble </em>for doing. And he’s not just thinking about causing pain. He’s thinking about… other things. Closing his eyes, he grips her hand just a little bit harder, wanting to kiss her. She’s not just a friend. He won’t lie to himself anymore. Today is a day of truths, some of them very hard – but not this. The truth is that he loves her. Always has, ever since the day they met. His acorn-chucking, bully-bashing, butt-naked-in-the-snow savior. Too bad she doesn’t feel the same about him. If she did, though? Then the future is clear.</p><p>He’d love her so hard that he’d put his <em> parents </em> to shame.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>The first thing that Finn does is run his hands over his face as he plugs in the next set of coordinates, happy that he has a good standard day to stitch his heart back together before having to go put pressure on the blue, sluggish pile that is Enja.</p><p>The next thing he does is hover his hand over the comm channel. He’s not going to rat out the boy; he refuses, but he needs to make sure that the Prince of the FFO hasn’t been promised to the Hutt in any way. As long as he hasn’t been, Finn’s going to let him stay right here on this damn ship, thank you very much. And the kid’s <em>best friend</em> can stay with him too, thank you very much for the second time – Ben’s rules be damned.</p><p>Until he realizes something he’d forgotten during the emotional bloodletting: the way Nex looked when she held Rà’s hand. For her to touch anyone is a rare gift, one of the most exclusive ones she gives, and the look on her face when she did it?  </p><p>It’s like dawn breaks on Finn’s head and he feels like an idiot.</p><p>There’s an old village woman he knows who’s always trying to keep young pairs away from one another – shooing them like unwanted birds when they give each other starry-eyed looks. She’s always warning, ‘From such children come other children.’</p><p>“Ah,” Finn can’t help but say out loud.</p><p>Before he can think better of it, he comm’s Ben – letting him know that Rà isn’t feeling up to playing politics just now. Though his friend eyes him slyly, Finn doesn’t feel the tell-tale tingle in his mind that usually accompanies his brother’s suspicion. Instead, there’s just a small, concerned ask about whether or not his son is okay; his sister was calling for him and crying, evidently.</p><p>“She probably just misses him. Rey won’t do the Force diaper change thing.”</p><p>Ben smiles something soft and sad. “Well. Just tell him we love him and that… we hope whatever’s bothering him gets better.”</p><p>Finn forces a smile and nods.</p><p>If there’s a story to tell here, he’s not going to be the one to do it.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>It’s late when Rà gets home and the twin moons are out, casting light all over the courtyard. Normally he thinks it’s beautiful, but right now he feels exposed. Like his family will notice him creep in and want to ‘talk’.</p><p>He’s in no mood for talking.</p><p>Which is why he groans internally when he sees ‘Master Solo’ waiting for him through the glass doorway. Of all the people to run into, this is the one he wanted to see <em> the least. </em>He wanted to sneak into bed and wallow for a night before having to face the man he feels be betrayed – no matter how briefly.</p><p>“Welcome home,” is what his… father says to him. His words sound strange and forced, like there’s something else he wants to say, too. Rà’s probably giving off emotions in waves his dad can sense like an animal, so he’s quick to interrupt.</p><p>“Look, I know you know I’m upset, but I don’t want to talk about it.” He sidesteps into the house, working his way towards the bedroom.</p><p>“Wait.” And it’s a command. Soft, but still a command.</p><p>Rà turns on his heels and faces the other man, rolling back his shoulders and trying to look as tall as possible.</p><p>The Monarch looks to the side a bit, working his jaw, before asking, “When did you stop talking to me?”</p><p>All Rà can do is scoff. “Seriously?” The irritation is viscerally clear in his tone. <em> “This </em> is the conversation you waited up for? <em> This </em>is what we really need to do right now?”</p><p>Simply, “Yes.”</p><p>He puts his hands on his hips and bites the inside of his cheek, likely seeming childish. Angry, he looks away, shaking his head. “I can’t talk to you about this. Sorry, correction: I <em> won’t.”</em> He doesn’t look at the other man’s expression but knows those words will upset him. Rà’s not sure he cares. If he can’t take his anger out on <em> one </em>father, maybe he can take it out on the other.</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>He snaps his head to face the ‘Jedi Master’. “Why? You wouldn’t get it. You don’t <em> know </em> what this feels like,” he gestures at himself, purposefully vague. “You could never understand what it’s like to be <em> me.” </em></p><p>“Then tell me.”</p><p>If he could get away with it, he’d storm away. Maybe break some rocks. Maybe break this man’s face, who knows? The possibilities are <em> endless. </em></p><p>“Why?! What’s the point? You going to tell me that, ‘it’s okay’? You gonna tell me to <em> count flowers? </em> You gonna tell me I need to Balance myself, <em> Master?” </em>he spits it like it’s a curse word.</p><p>His father stands, stoic, regarding him like he’s a puzzle. </p><p>Rà thinks now is a good time to walk away, but his feet won’t move. Fury is rolling around inside of him. Not quite under his breath, but quiet nonetheless, “Not everyone can be as <em> emotionless </em> as you. Not everyone can be <em> empty!” </em>And he’s getting louder.</p><p>If he’s hurting his father, he might as well cut as deep as he can. “But I suppose you’d have to be, right <em> Kylo? </em> You need to stuff everything so far down that people think you’re someone else. That they’ll forget what you did!”</p><p>Though the man’s expression never changes, his eyes glint with something. It’s either violence or heartbreak. “As far as I know, no one’s forgotten.”</p><p>Rà hisses, “Of <em> course not. </em> You let them teach about you <em> in school. </em> On your own <em> worlds, </em> no less. Do you know what that’s like?! How other people <em> look </em> at me when we cover the First Order? You don’t know how that <em> feels! </em>”</p><p>His father breathes deeply, holding onto the thin line of his patience. “You don’t understand.”</p><p>“Yeah? Well, join the club. You don’t understand <em> me, </em> either. And you won’t. We’re <em> nothing alike.” </em></p><p>The Jedi Master shakes his head, clenching his fists, and Rà begins to feel pins and needles around his body, energy ramping up. If his father <em> dares </em> fight him, he’s going to fight <em> back. </em></p><p>“We’re more alike than you think.”</p><p>His father lifts his arm in that iconic way, and Rà can feel a press against the walls of his mind. Anger snuffs out of him like a blown-out candle, replaced with the ice-cold grip of fear. All he can do is latch his arms around his head in a futile attempt to protect himself, wide eyed like a child.</p><p>“Don’t! Dad, please,” he begs.</p><p>But the press only gets harder. Rà tries to fortify his mental barriers, but he <em> can’t. </em> He’s <em> too weak </em> to protect himself – to shield his deepest secrets – so instead he cries out, <em> “If you take this from me, I’ll NEVER FORGIVE YOU!” </em></p><p>Sadly, his father just looks at him.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>And Rà’s last barrier falls.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>“So,” Finn walks Nex back to the shared dormitory of the orphanage. “I couldn’t help but notice that you’ve got a <em> thing </em>for the next-in-line-for-the-throne.”</p><p>“There’s no such thing.” Nex keeps walking, sliding her hand through her hair nonchalantly. As if to say, ‘Whatever do you mean?’ in some kind of debutante voice. It’s like he can hear it without hearing it, and it makes him smile.</p><p>“You know – I may be completely, like, <em> useless </em>as a person to talk to about it, but I’m here. You know. If you want. I’ll always help you whenever I can.”</p><p>She smiles at him as they walk along in a night that’s too bright, and the look on her face just about melts his heart.</p><p>“In fact, Jannah and I have been talking about it (a lot) and, well – we both care about you. A lot. We wonder what you’re up to when we’re not around, and we’re always thinking of more stuff we can do together when we’re on-world. We’re just always missing you, kiddo. And, with as much as you comm us, I think (I <em> hope) </em>that maybe you miss us, too. So, we wondered if you might want,” he swallows, “to stay with us.”</p><p>She stops dead in her tracks and looks at him, confused.</p><p>He clears his throat, weirdly shy. “Like, if you want to be… adopted. By me. By <em> us.” </em></p><p>She doesn’t say anything, but her mouth is dropped wide open.</p><p>Finn’s self-consciousness skyrockets and he looks up and away, babbling, “ButOnlyIfYouWantedAndYouWouldn’tHaveToIfYouDidn’tWantTo!”</p><p>She rests her hand on his arm, sending a jolt of shock right through him, shutting him up and talking all his words away. The girl’s eyes are wide and she tries to say something a few times, but finds no words.</p><p>Trying to preempt any of her objections, “J and I said we’d even move our home base to Karuvis, if that’s what you wanted, so you can still go to school here.” The panic comes back, “AndICouldSayIt’sBecauseTheTrooperCommunityNeedsBetterRelationsWithTheFFO-“ and it all becomes non-words of blather. It’s like he loses all track of how to shape normal sounds…</p><p>But she’s smiling at him with tears in her eyes so, despite his unfortunate, mechanical motor-mouth, he has hope.</p><p>Rà has a family. Finn wants to give her a family, too.</p><p>Because he loves her.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Rà’s mind is sucked deep into something he doesn’t understand. </p><p>He’s never experienced his father do this, but he’s always known that the man could enter someone’s mind. It doesn’t hurt, like he thought it would – but it’s so strange. Images pass before him. Memories. Some vague, some clear…</p><p>…but none of them are his.</p><p>There is a little boy, crying. Hair black is as night and his tears like crystal orbs as his parents walk away. Again and again, they walk away. He’s left with droids, droids are everywhere, and they’re all that this boy has.</p><p>And he’s <em> lonely. </em></p><p>There’s a voice. It whispers in the middle of the night, <em> Your parents don’t love you, child. Your parents don’t -want- you. </em></p><p>And the voice is right… because the dark-haired boy is given away. Like a second-hand gift that no one wanted.</p><p>There is a Jedi, a Jedi that this boy loves with his whole heart, but the boy has to keep secrets. Secrets about the Darkness inside him. Secrets that none of the other children can know. The boy is terrified. Ashamed. Isolated. No one could ever understand! The only one who really knows him is the <em> voice. </em></p><p>It whispers that, <em> You would be so much stronger if you stopped pretending. If you stopped holding back. If you embraced the Dark side within you. </em></p><p>Sometimes, the boy does… in secret. Sometimes, the boy does… by <em> accident. </em></p><p>A terrible history is revealed – letting the boy know something that grips him by the heart and crushes him. He’s the descendant of a person so evil that he blew up a whole planet. His mother’s home world; his ancestors! </p><p>And it was his <em> grandfather. </em>His Legacy.</p><p>Vader.</p><p>The children despise him. Are afraid of him. Point at his mistakes and ostracize.</p><p>And so, he is abandoned twice. Once by his family. Once by his friends.</p><p>His parents knew and never told him. They hid it away, just so it could eviscerate him when it came to light. Still, it explains so much. This is why the boy was drawn to the Dark. <em> This </em>is why he was… evil.</p><p>But the voice soothes him. Telling him, <em> I’ll be your friend. I know you, all the way down to the bottom of you, and I’m not going anywhere. I will -never- leave. </em></p><p>His accidents become on-purposes, but only rarely and he’s always sorry – but it doesn’t matter. Nothing he tries matters.</p><p>And soon the Jedi stops loving him, too.</p><p>It hurts. Rà’s whole body hurts with rejection as he watches the little boy become older. A teen. A young man. All the while, one thought pulses in his mind: <em> Hide it, hide it, you have to hide it! </em></p><p>And the voice tells him, <em> They’ll never understand you. They’ll hold you back. They’ll betray you. </em></p><p>And the voice is right. The beloved Jedi that the young man has dedicated his life to, his surrogate father, raises his blade…</p><p>And Rà’s heart shreds in half.</p><p>The dark-haired man pulls the roof down right over his Master’s head. He collapses it on his mentor and murderer. Over his hero and his worst enemy. </p><p>Onto himself.</p><p>But he doesn’t die.</p><p>And, somehow, the temple burns; everyone inside is screaming, but it’s already too late to save them. The man is so scared and horrified and helpless. He begs in his heart, <em> Please no, please no, please! </em></p><p>And the voice beckons, <em> Come to me, child. I told you. I knew they would betray you. If only you’d listened to me sooner… </em></p><p>Some Jedi Knights, young and inferior, survive... and blame him. They make assumptions and attack. He tries to wish them away, will them away, <em> throw </em> them away, but they keep coming. They’re coming after him, but he’s too busy chasing the Knights of Ren who follow the Shadow, begging to belong with them. Begging for someone to <em> keep him. </em></p><p>And when the young Jedi find him, they all die. </p><p>One is his fault, but it was an accident. </p><p>One <em> isn’t </em> his fault, and it tears him apart to see his once-friend fall. </p><p>Two, though? Those he destroyed with his whole heart. The anger, rage, and urge to <em> hurt something </em>bled within his mind, and the need to hide his true power broke like a dam.</p><p>From there, it’s a blur of trials and goading from the voice – only the voice is now a monster. Deformed and terrifying, but still holding the dark-haired man’s soul in his hands.</p><p>And Rà knows, the dark-haired man… is his father.</p><p>People submit, people fight, people die. Sometimes it’s easy, sometimes it’s hard. Sometimes it sticks in the man’s mind like an open wound, sometimes he looks at them like vermin. Like rats. Like…</p><p>… ants.</p><p>And the voice isn’t so nice anymore. It’s mean. Taunting, insulting, challenging, abusing. It’s more than a voice now, and it inflicts mind-ripping pain, scorches of lightning, and near-death. A symphony of terror orchestrated by a new Master who calls the man Kylo Ren. Who works <em> so hard </em>to kill Ben Solo. To stamp out the Light, even though it peeks in through the cracks.</p><p>Kylo Ren loves the Light – but it’s a new secret sin.</p><p>Some things never change.</p><p>And he’s lonely.</p><p>And hurt.</p><p>And <em> angry. </em></p><p>Through his father’s memories, Rà sees his mother – her mind ripped open so that the boy experiences her isolation. Her starvation and abandonment. He feels his father grow a weakness for the one person who might understand him… but she easily plucks out his deepest fear – creating their unexpected connection – and it terrifies him to be seen so clearly.</p><p>Her success makes him a weak fool in the eyes of his Master. He needs to fix it, he needs to show how strong he is. If he’s weak, he’ll be abandoned again – or destroyed. No, he needs to prove himself, he needs to…</p><p>… kill his father.</p><p>Han Solo.</p><p>Just like his Master wants.</p><p>Within his own mind, Rà thinks his heart is breaking. It’s not that his father can’t understand him… no. He <em> is </em> him. In another time, in another place, this is <em> exactly </em>what Rà could have become.</p><p>Puzzle pieces snap into place in the boy’s mind as he watches the whirlwind of memories sweep by. More rejection, from the scavenger this time. Her raw hatred of him – even though he wanted her. Needed her. Was desperate for her. Was begging to be loved.</p><p>Triumph, failure, death and dreams and desire.</p><p>And when the vision jumps to a little, too skinny, mop-headed boy in the arms of the Jedi Master Ren, crying, <em> “I don’t want to be a bad boy!” </em> he hears his now-father whisper, <em> “It’s not your fault. I know you don’t mean it. Shhh, it’s okay... -you’re not a bad boy-…” </em></p><p>And Master Ren wasn’t just talking to the young Rà – he was talking to <em> himself. </em></p><p>Dad thinks he’s bad.</p><p>Dad hates himself.</p><p>Dad has to try so hard to hide his anger.</p><p>Dad has to stay strong, so he’s not betrayed – because he believes that it’s only a matter of time.</p><p>Dad is afraid – and not just for himself. For his family.</p><p>He wants to change.</p><p>He wants to be a good boy.</p><p>Just like Rà does.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>When he opens his eyes, Rà is on his hands and knees on the ground – and so is his father.</p><p>Ben Solo lowers his crooked fingers, ashamed of himself. “Now you know.”</p><p>Rà can barely speak. His throat is like sand as he stares into his father’s hurt eyes, though his face remains unmoved. For the first time, the boy understands. That mask is what his father puts on when he’s vulnerable. He doesn’t have the mask of Kylo Ren to hide behind, so he’s had to train his muscles to do it.</p><p>“I’m sorry…” He doesn’t cry, doesn’t throw himself into his father’s arms like he used to, but some things never change. “I still love you, dad.” But that’s not the only feeling in his heart. “I’m <em> scared,” </em> Rà breathes it out, like it’s a release.</p><p>The Monarch’s eyes are dark glitters of emotion.</p><p>“I’m scared that I’ll be just like you were. Angry, alone. Targeted by people who want to use my weaknesses to… trick me – like Ikeq did.”</p><p>Like his real-father did.</p><p>“I hate myself for what I am…”</p><p>“I love you for what you are,” his father cuts him off. “Every struggle, every ‘weakness’, every strength, every <em> moment – </em>even when you’re yelling at me – I love you.” His father’s eyes drop, his hands clenching, signifying the depth of his feelings.</p><p>“I don’t censor our books because history is <em> important. </em> I need to be a…” he trails off for a moment, breathing in deeply. “A cautionary tale. I want people to see that you can change. No matter who you are or how far you’ve gone, you can stop, turn around, and <em> change. </em></p><p>“Even my grandfather did, in the end.”</p><p>Rà looks at him, unsure of what to say.</p><p>Continuing, “No matter what you’re struggling with, I’ll be there. If it’s too hard to say, don’t say it. Just feel it and let me <em> be there.</em> I’ve said it to your mother more times than I can count – but I’m going to say it to you, too. You are <em> not alone. </em> No one understood what I was going through when I was young, but your mother and I – we <em> understand! </em>As long as you have us<em> – </em> there will always be someone who will love you. Listen to you. <em> Know what it feels like. </em>You’re only as alone as you let yourself be, Rà.</p><p>“It’s not about the Dark side. It’s about <em>hate. </em>Hating others, hating yourself – that’s when everything starts to go wrong. That’s when they can trick you. That’s when you can trick <em>yourself!</em></p><p>“But even if it all goes wrong, kiddo – I’ll still be there. Whether it’s to hug you, yell at you, fight you, knock you out, <em> whatever you need, </em>I’ll do.”</p><p>Rà’s voice breaks slightly, “I just don’t want to be a monster.”</p><p>His father reaches out, taking hold of his arms and holding tightly. “I won’t let you be one, kiddo. I promise. <em> I won’t let you.” </em></p><p>And Rà believes him.</p><p>And he’s grateful.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Nex follows him out, class over for the day, and both of them are eerily silent. Especially for them; they’re always filling the space between them with words.</p><p>She’s the one who breaks the silence. “You look really tired.”</p><p>Rà only smiles, kicking his feet slightly as they walk through the summer grass. “You think I look like crap.”</p><p>She shoves him, lightly. “I didn’t say that.”</p><p>His eyes are mischievous on hers. “No, you only thought it.”</p><p>She whops him this time, but it just makes him laugh.</p><p>“I might look bad, but I feel… pretty good, actually.” He breathes in deeply, filling his lungs to the brim with the sweet air around them.</p><p>“You don’t regret it?” She seems nervous. Knowing her, she probably feels responsible for everything that went wrong.</p><p>He ducks a little, ensuring he catches her eyes. “Not one bit.”</p><p>She grins, biting her lip and looking anywhere but at him, and he lets her push his face away playfully, smiling into her palm. Feeling brave (or ready for another whop) he almost kisses it, but then she draws it away too fast. Probably for the best, but he’s still pretty happy.</p><p>Any time she touches him makes him happy.</p><p>“What about you?” he teases. “You were staring into space all day. Smiling, even. Do you know how creepy that was?”</p><p>“Not as creepy as <em> you </em>and your red-rimmed eyes! Cry yourself to sleep, big baby?”</p><p>“Who doesn’t need a good cry now and then?” He shrugs, unable to reel back his satisfaction at riling her up.</p><p>They go back to walking in silence for a bit. The pleasant air starts to sour a little, but Rà’s not so sure why. Not until Nex starts to speak.</p><p>“My parents were afraid of me, too.”</p><p>He keeps walking, because he knows he’s <em> supposed </em> to keep walking, but his ears are wide open. This is the forbidden topic. He’s opened his wounds to show her, and now she’s returning his trust.</p><p>She stares right at the ground; right at her plodding feet. “They took me somewhere and left me. I don’t remember much, just that it was so cold. I remember being so cold for so long that it barely bothered me anymore. I would eat trash. Pick it up and take it. You’d be surprised what good things people throw away. If you can get into rich people’s trash? That’s the best.</p><p>“But there was this group of… and they hurt me…” She tries to say other things, but her breath stutters and the biggest tears he’s ever seen roll down her soft cheeks, over her every freckle. Her chest hitches and she pins her hand over her mouth. He does stop then, daring to take hold of her shoulders and turn her to him.</p><p>“Shh, shh. It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me, yet. You never have to tell me, if you don’t want to.” He keeps his grip soft and her hand slides up to cover his, not pulling it away.</p><p>“I wish I were more like you,” she murmurs softly.</p><p>He looks at her, unable to take his eyes off hers. “Why?”</p><p>“I’ve thought of finding my family, but I can’t.” Her voice crumbles on the last word.</p><p>“Why?” he asks again, voice soft like a whisper as she shares her secrets. Her beautiful sea-colored irises stare endlessly into his, but all he can do is watch her mouth as she speaks, fascinated by the way her lips move.</p><p>“Because, even if I found them, there’s nothing they can say that would make me feel better. Nothing can fix what they did!”</p><p>She steps away from him, rubbing her eyes dry and continuing to walk away, her calm, sassy demeanor taking over once more. His mind almost stutters at the gear-change, but he shakes it off, following her further toward their training field.</p><p>“Besides!” she sniffs. “After watching you, I realized that I’ve been holding on to that for too long, too. I won’t let it stop me from doing what I want anymore. <em> I </em>want a family now. I’m ready.”</p><p>She’s saying happy things but storming forward like she’s on a mission.</p><p>“What?” His mind reels. “Like… what do you mean by ‘family’?”</p><p>She whips around like he must be stupid, hands on her hips. Quirking her eyebrow haughtily, she reports, “Finn said that he and Jannah want to <em> adopt </em> me. He said they’ll move here, so I don’t have to leave my home. The joke's on that <em> old </em> family, because now there are people who aren’t going to leave me behind – they’re going to <em> come for me.” </em></p><p>She tips her chin, not smiling, like she’s challenging Rà to say something snide; it’s her defense mechanism.</p><p>“And then, I’ll have parents. Even a grandfather.”</p><p>Rà can’t help but add himself into the picture. “And a cousin. If Finn’s my uncle – you and I are-“</p><p>He doesn’t expect her fist, which is why it clocks his head fully to one side, his shoulders following until he’s nearly hunched over from the force of her blow.</p><p>“What. The. Actual. HELL!?” he cries out, hand over the swelling in his face as he straightens to face her.</p><p>Her expression is furious. “WE ARE NOT <em> COUSINS, </em>RÁ SOLO!”</p><p>And with that, she lashes forward again, grasping the collar of his shirt and <em> yanking </em> him, smashing his face into hers. Her lips press on his painfully, but it doesn’t matter one bit.</p><p>Not one damn bit.</p><p>He lifts his hands up, as if to cup her face, but she pulls back from him all too soon with a small gasp. He’s left staring at her in shock and she huffs out heated breaths.</p><p>Gritting her teeth and shaking him slightly, she repeats a stilted, “I will <em> never be your cousin.” </em></p><p>It’s with those words that she steps back, blinks at him, eyes wide with embarrassment, turns tail, and <em> darts </em>back in the direction of the school. Rà should remind her about training… but he’s too busy running his fingertips over his lips and flushing red with the realization that... she wants him back.</p><p>“No,” he speaks to no one. “We definitely are <em> not </em>cousins.”</p><p>He may not remember it, but a long time ago in the middle of a flurry of snow, he’d looked at her and felt so filled with love that he’d decided to marry her someday. </p><p>Now, five years later, watching her reddish hair bounce as she makes an all-out run for it, he makes that same decision.</p><p>And this time, he’ll remember.  </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p><b>Prompted by both Elle and MorphoBlueTravels:</b> Finn and Jannah adopt Nex. </p><p>There is also a line from Fiddler on the Roof in here… &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. The Festival of Healing (Ben’s Gray Hair)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>“Fallen First Order Fluff” is the 3rd (and final, goddamnit!!) installment of the “The Rise of Ben Solo” series. To get the most out of these chapters, check out the whole shebang from the beginning: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1922341. </p><p>“The Redemption of Kylo Ren” and “Monarch” are serious and heartfelt. Filled with action, strife, tears, love and redemption. This is not. This is Crack and Fluff. And a little smut, if you wait for it. There is no plot, there is no continuity - it’s just fun. &lt;3 </p><p><b>Every chapter in FFOFluff is a one-shot and will have its own tags.</b> Please look for that in every chapter header.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by Me</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>

  </p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p><b>Where:</b> En</p><p><b>Time:</b> AS (After Starlight)</p><p><b>Tags:</b> Canon-typical violence, Politics, Crack, Fluff</p><p><b>POV: </b>100% Ben</p><p> </p><p>Screams of <em> NO, NO, NO, NO, NO! </em>echo in Ben’s mind, much louder than the laser blasts that fly around him. He rotates his wrist, using his weapon to knock them away, gritting his teeth in seething fury.</p><p>This whole job has gone sideways – enemies where they aren’t supposed to be in numbers <em> far greater </em> than what was reported. The beasts they ride are completely unexpected, and Ben has a gored gash on his thigh to show for it. He pounds his fist against the wound, harnessing the Darkness that comes with the pain and turning it into another weapon he can use to <em> fight. </em></p><p>Everything is wrong. So, so wrong. He brought such a small retinue because the threat was medium, at best. ‘Team Jedi’ had decided to make it a good excuse to all get together, but now Ben is fighting for his life and slamming his white crossguard into strangers, trying to drill a hole through the melee.</p><p>Because Ciel has gone down.</p><p>Ben bellows into his comm once more to rally reinforcements from the local militia, but the pause in his defense earns him an unexpected slash from an overconfident enemy. He grunts, dispatches the threat easily, and barely notices the additional pain. All he feels is dread.</p><p>His friend is on the ground. His <em> first </em> friend, his <em> best </em>friend – and Ben is going to kill anything that moves in order to get to him.</p><p>Rey is taking down a good number, her saber a blurred glow that makes the charging animals stumble leg-lessly into the gravel, relieved of the appendages that kept them moving forward. Dust clouds everything but she doesn’t stop her attack, sweat making dirt stick to her in clotted smears.</p><p>Finn has pulled back to the high ground, firing arm ramrod straight as he picks off the enemies that hide outside of his friends’ peripheral vision. His aim is deadly accurate and anyone who falls doesn’t get back up again. Not now, perhaps never.</p><p>But it’s not enough to satisfy.</p><p>Nex stands in Finn’s protection with her eyes closed, trying to meditate amidst the chaos to ‘see’ how they can thwart the next move of this horde’s deadly leadership. Her lips move as she relays what she can predict into her comm and up to the ships in the sky, ensuring that each shot targets their enemy as tactically as possible, hitting them as hard as they can.</p><p>Rà covers his father’s back, his grandmother’s blade tinted in purple as he deflects beams that screech towards them. Ben can feel his frantic energy like a nightmare. This is his first job; his <em> first. </em>He’s not ready, not by a long shot, but it’s too late. Like it or not, he’s in this; Ben just needs to make sure he gets out of it again, too.</p><p>FFO soldiers drop from the nearby transports with jetpacks softening their falls, but it’s taking too long for them to work their way into the fray. They unleash their flamethrowers and hellrake destruction into the crowds, the battle cries of war soon becoming screams of pain.</p><p>
  <em> Good. </em>
</p><p>Ben’s about to go mad with rage. He never would have brought his <em> son </em> on this mission if he knew it would be like this. Or left his <em> daughter </em>in the Command ship, above.</p><p><em> This was supposed to be easy, </em>he growls, ramming his blade through another chest and kicking the creature, pushing it off his saber. Looping his hand around behind him, he twirls his son clockwise to move him from the attack that’s narrowed in on their flank.</p><p>The young man yells, vengeful, pushing out and further into the crowd, hacking and slashing in order to disable and disarm, but losing proper form in the process. He’s straying too far, but his father can do nothing other than guard Rà’s 12 o’clock and scream for him to stick to formation – which he completely <em> ignores. </em></p><p>Ben’s loyalty is tested. Friend or son? Friend or son?</p><p>
  <em> I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. </em>
</p><p>Ben chooses his son. Turning away from where Ciel lays, he pounds his wound again, screaming and <em> pushing </em> with the Force, sending groups of sentients flying. Their heads crack on stone and their bodies crush under the weight of his effort, but he’s Not. <em> Done. </em> Yet.</p><p>A back touches his and his power amps up, Rey sliding her free hand down his waist as she faces the enemies behind him. The dyad’s power multiplies...</p><p>...and <em> destroys </em>all enemies within reach of their invisible grasp.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>Ben skids to his knees as his people keep a perimeter around him, others in pursuit of the criminals who have turned tail, trying to live and fight another day. Ben wants them all <em> caught, </em> and <em> tried, </em> and <em> convicted, </em> and <em> executed. </em></p><p>Preferably by him.</p><p>He gingerly flips Ciel over and brings him into his lap, Rey landing right beside him only moments later. Her hands twitch in front of her, like she doesn’t know where to start. Wounds are <em> everywhere </em>as the soldier coughs out blood-and-pain.</p><p>“It’s okay,” Ben soothes. “It’s okay, I’ve got you. Open your eyes, come on.” He pats the soldier’s face firmly, trying to get his attention and keep him focused. “Do it or I’m just going to hold you like a little baby and take pictures, okay? I’ll spread them around the galaxy, I swear.”</p><p>Ciel has no comeback… and it’s the most terrifying thing Ben has experienced in a long while.</p><p>He tries to grab the Light – but that’s not how it works. You don’t overpower the Light; you don’t command it. You open to it. He’s desperate and it’s counterproductive, which only compounds his fear. Ben cradles his best friend, bringing Ciel’s head up to his chest, lungs so tight that he can’t breathe.</p><p>Rà is trying to touch his uncle everywhere, saying words Ben can’t hear until Rey backs their son off, gently. His wife is looking at him, he knows she is, but he can’t – he just can’t.</p><p>She slides her hand through his dirty, black hair, petting him as she slides a hand similarly over Ciel’s forehead. Ben feels her drawing from his strength and his love… because she has to; she’s never healed so many wounds at once before and every tiny bit added to her power helps.</p><p>When Ciel gasps a deep breath of healing, turning it into a cough as his body stitches back together, Ben begins to tremble. It’s like all his energy is flowing out of the place where his wife touches him – but he’ll give it. He’ll give it, gladly.</p><p>He’s weak. Weak in front of his guard, his retinue, his whole <em> company </em>. Emotional, anguished, panicked… and it will only be a matter of time until everyone knows it.</p><p>It doesn’t matter. His best friend matters.</p><p>That’s all Ben can think as he falls into unconsciousness.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>“It’s not so bad,” Ciel snarks at him. “You’re being a big baby.”</p><p>“You say that like you haven’t wept over your own greys for as long as I’ve known you,” Ben sneers, picking at the stripes of bright white that cascade through his otherwise black mane, right where Rey had placed her hands on him.</p><p>Couldn’t she have just touched his <em> shoulder </em>or something?</p><p>No, instead she’s ruined him. He was never (what he would call) ‘handsome’, but now he looks… old. He’s only forty-three; that’s too young to be <em> old! </em></p><p>He thinks.</p><p>It’s not enough that the white threads exist, they’re also a different texture. Wiry. Like little filaments that don’t lay down as smoothly as the rest. He keeps fiddling with them, frowning so deeply that his face aches. Maybe he can fix it. He’s the leader of a <em> system, </em> he’s sure he can get someone to make this go away. Soften it. <em> Something! </em></p><p>He’d pluck them out – but that would mean losing a good portion of what sits on his head. He imagines himself bald for a moment, turning the unfortunate into the unbearable.</p><p>If he had one redeeming feature, it was his <em> goddamn HAIR! </em></p><p>Clearing his throat, Ben’s best friend taps his comm, pointing at the time. “You’ve gotta get going, princess.”</p><p>“Don’t you have better things to do?”</p><p>Laughing, the soldier ruffles Ben’s reason-for-sadness. “Of course I do.”</p><p>Ciel thanks him earnestly for the millionth time, but still turns irreverent by the end, blowing Ben kisses on the way out.</p><p> </p><p>~~~~~~~~</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>En is healing in more ways than one, though the last vestiges of their civil war still spring up occasionally… like now. This was just another ill-advised campaign, one of the many that the FFO federation has had to quell over the years.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the conflict-riddled, half-irradiated planet En joined the system, their terms required that Humans be kept in leadership, as the largest sentient population on the planet. Ben had agreed, and was short sighted in doing so. That decision only prolonged the animosity between the species, enraging all non-Humans. They would have preferred that the planet burn into <em>nothingness</em> before they'd have given Guerra, the Human warlord, sovereignty over all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But that’s what Ben had done – he put Guerra on his Counsel so yet <em>another</em> man of war could try to become a man of peace. The gruff sinner had done his best in the short time he had, but it wasn’t enough. Even if the man had lived another hundred years, it wouldn’t have been enough. He’d caused too much damage to ever be able to heal the hearts of his people.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, the radiation poisoning is receding, and that’s good news. The droids provided by Pyat’cinc have been an absolute </span>
  <em>
    <span>miracle </span>
  </em>
  <span>when it came to that. Thanks to them, a whole two-thirds of the land is habitable again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Councilman Guerra has long-since passed, but Ben has a new leader who’s less species-ist and is </span>
  <em>
    <span>forcing</span>
  </em>
  <span> inclusion. She’s offering the new, unblemished lands to those most deeply affected by the conflict. A start to reparations. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s absolutely the direction this planet needs to move in, ending the unfairness and hate. Some resist this new ideology, but Ben refuses to let those voices destroy the planet’s hard-earned progress. He calls out their successes from mountaintops, ensuring all ears get a chance to hear it, and he conquers </span>
  <em>
    <span>anyone</span>
  </em>
  <span> who initiates aggression – Human or otherwise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This time just happened to be otherwise.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No matter what, he will send a clear message that the war is </span>
  <em>
    <span>over, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and those who disagree risk their lives to the wrath of the Monarch who leads their system.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is more to his visit than the never-ending conflict, though. On top of settling the skirmish, the Solo family is </span>
  <em>
    <span>also</span>
  </em>
  <span> here to help the world celebrate their newly habitable areas by holding the planet’s inaugural ‘Festival of Healing’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ironic. The planet heals while the people continue their efforts to tear it apart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He and Rà will open the event tomorrow and Ben is still drafting words of unity. An address that acknowledges how natural anger can feel, showing that he understands why peace is hard. Peace isn’t just a state of being, it’s often an </span>
  <em>
    <span>active choice</span>
  </em>
  <span> that you have to make every day. He knows that Peace and Forgiveness aren’t the same things, but you have to start somewhere. Choosing not to fight is hard, like exercising a new muscle, but he will reinforce that it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>worth it. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s toying with the idea of opening up beyond theory and sharing his own personal experiences with the rage of war and difficult acceptance of peace – though it’s a risky endeavor to have that conversation. Perhaps it’s better to just focus on his pride and shame, and how they wrap around the planet’s successes and failures, as if he were a father watching over a child. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What would motivate them more? Which is the most honest? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Both.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t want to give another redundant, wandering, boring political speech. He wants to make it real, to let them know that he’s in this with them… because he is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The streets are already wild with preparations and pre-parties. Streamers of every color in the spectrum, lanterns and costumes. An amazing display of the local cultural celebrations stitched into one tapestry that hangs like a jewel against his heart.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It stings him that a good portion of those who could have attended the festival are now dead.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Or will be, very soon.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Dad! DadDadDadDadDad!” Star jumps up and down spastically, flailing her arms at anything bright, shiny, or fluffy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If he had his way, he’d buy it all and bury her in a mountain of everything she’s ever wanted – but Rey is the better of the two of them at parenting. She indulges only in moderation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he sneaks, buying presents for his little girl in secret, wrapping them up prettily with tiny notes that simply say, ‘Shh’ in elaborate script, and hiding them around her room.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey knows. Of course she knows! She lets him get away with it, though. She may not be good at indulging the children, but she’s certainly good at indulging </span>
  <em>
    <span>him.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben's little girl skips hopscotch over cracks along the thoroughfare, singing loudly about how she wants a rathtar.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen,” her brother laughs at her, ruffling her hair and mussing up the long, dark waves.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nex passes Star the lollipop (that they’re sharing for some unknown reason) and Ben smiles at it all, his guard mostly down. He’s getting better at it. A little.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It didn’t hurt that his men had come up to him and shook his hand for caring enough to save ‘one of them’. It made Ben realize that his humanity may be a strength, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey grabs her daughter into a hug, bent nearly in half to do it. She has long-since given up trying to pick up their six-year old. It’s possible – the woman is definitely strong enough – but it’s just so damn awkward. The girl is all scabby legs, and they’ll tangle with yours, if you let them. That’s why Ben has made it a habit of just slinging her around his neck, which he happily does now, though wary of the sugar-sticky stick that sticks from her mouth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oof!” she sputters out, but it’s a happy ‘Oof’, and he knows it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Oh! Rà – win me one!” Nex waves frantically at some prize that hangs up at a game booth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no, no,” Ben repeats for the umpteenth time. “It’s not fair, you’ll win and clean them out, again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dad,” the young man states, reproachfully. “That was </span>
  <em>
    <span>one time. </span>
  </em>
  <span>When I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>eighteen.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, last year, you mean?” Rey snorts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their son tucks one of his braids behind his ear – his uncle’s doing, even after all this time. “I’ve matured.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pffft, yeah. Mm-hmm. Tell me that again,” Nex teases, entwining her fingers with his, her wedding tattoo fresh on her other hand. Hers is a simple flower, and Rà’s is a thread of vines that loop around in a circle.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rings really </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>go with sabers, after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Love it, love it, LOVE IT!” Finn bounds over and steps in front of Ben, stopping his movement and looking him over like he’s an exotic discovery. “Man – Ciel told me, but I didn’t believe him! It’s white. So much white. Gods, you look ancient!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll kill you,” is all Ben says in return.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His incognito guard, strategically following them around the crowd, snickers at the General’s expense. Finn flips them a rude gesture and it only makes them laugh more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No respect,” the man mutters.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s been pulling back on his protective detail, albeit slowly. Most assassins have given up by now, so his guard leaves space around him, letting anyone brave enough to approach have the ability to do so. He likes it. Almost. Sometimes. Maybe more than he lets on… but, oddly enough, fewer people recognize him here than he would have thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s… interesting to go largely unnoticed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Goooooing over </span>
  <em>
    <span>THERE!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>Nex calls out, pointing towards a ride that spins so fast Ben can barely see it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me, too! Oh, me, me, me!” Star wiggles over him until he’s forced to put her down. She clings to his waist in a tight hug for a moment (as he’s her favorite person), then darts after the young woman, Rà in tow so he can hold her hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Several of Ben’s guards split off to follow the kids (because, damnit, they’ll </span>
  <em>
    <span>always </span>
  </em>
  <span>be kids), and he relaxes a half notch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Smirking at him, Finn whispers, “Aaaaaancient,” before sauntering off to follow the others.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben frowns. “I hate him, Rey. Sometimes, I really hate him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Laced with love,” she giggles, wrapping herself around his arm and leaning her head on his shoulder. “Come on. I know what will cheer you up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He quirks an eyebrow in curiosity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Buy me something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His lips curl into a sweet, adorable, soft smile as he pulls her into his arms, resting his forehead on hers. “You’re actually going to let me this time? Not a trick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Not a trick, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she kisses him, a small peck. “A reward for your bravery.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snorts, but kisses her once more – chastely at first, then less so.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>AUDIENCE! </span>
  </em>
  <span>She squeaks into his mouth, and the corners of his mouth tick up even as his lips are on hers.</span>
</p><p><em><span>Fine, but I get to choose how much I spend – and I’m feeling generous. </span></em><span>He releases, looking at her with an incredible</span> <span>amount of love. “I may be brave, but you’re a savior.”</span></p><p>
  <span>She pulls away from him with a cocky expression. “And don’t you forget it.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They browse stands and Rey is obviously Very. Bored. until they get over to the mechanics and weaponry, though she allows him to fuss over fabrics and pressed paper. They peruse, splitting apart when something catches their attention and speaking into each other’s minds when they want to chat over this or that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Ben hears it. A whistling catcall and a half drunken, “Heyyyy, pretty lady!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He feels Rey’s irritation spike and he looks a few stalls down, noting that it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>her </span>
  </em>
  <span>being ‘appreciated’. He can absolutely see why. She’d dressed more elaborately for the opening ceremony, and she looks like a dream come true. He knows she can absolutely fend for herself – but that doesn’t mean that Ben doesn’t want to saunter over and enjoy the show. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He loves it when she does this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m talking to </span>
  <em>
    <span>you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>brown-haired beauty. Haven’t I seen you before?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben places his hands behind his back and bites the inside of his cheek to suppress his grin, keeping a full booth’s-worth of distance, pretending to be an innocent bystander.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Another male kicks into the conversation. “Whoa, aren’t you just </span>
  <em>
    <span>gorgeous? </span>
  </em>
  <span>I have half a mind to take you home with me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey smirks at them. “I think you better back off boys, or you might regret opening your mouths.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A low chuckle of “ooohs” come out from the two.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Feisty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I </span>
  <em>
    <span>like </span>
  </em>
  <span>that she’s feisty.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Two on one, little girl. If you like fighting, you’re in for a hell of a challenge.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She rests a hand on her hip, unbothered. “I’m surprised. I thought this planet was a little more developed than that. I thought it might teach its men to behave better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t bother reaching for a weapon. If they approach, she’ll just kick the crap out of them and smile over their downed bodies. Still, the lead-guard cocks his head in Ben’s direction, looking for instructions. The Jedi makes a small gesture and minutely shakes his head, silently saying, ‘Watch this. Watch my wife.’</span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of the men approaches Rey more closely, appraising her and prickling Ben’s skin with possessiveness. She just watches the drunkard blandly as he circles her, taking in her breast line, her hips, her face, looming ever closer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll behave better for you, darlin’. My mother once told me I'd marry a woman I dreamed of.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“His mom was </span>
  <em>
    <span>a crazy lady!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The friend calls over in a stage whisper, but the hovering male ignores him completely.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel like I know your face – so it has to be you. If you get to know me, maybe I can be your dream, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He goes to set a hand on her, not unkindly, almost like he’s planning on courting her in earnest – but that hand never lands. Rey takes a single step away and loops her fingers around his, twirling and wrenching his arm behind his back into a </span>
  <em>
    <span>very </span>
  </em>
  <span>uncomfortable position. It’s so fast that even 'Master Solo' barely catches it, and the man squawks out a rough yelp.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The drunkard’s friend laughs at him, which amuses Ben immediately. He makes the decision to approach before his wife is forced to become more violent with their subjects than necessary, and her expression turns smug when she catches eyes with him. Discreetly, he winks at her; praise for a job well done.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And then he hears the fateful question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh! Is that your </span>
  <em>
    <span>dad?” </span>
  </em>
  <span>The friend across the way from Rey’s captive gestures at Ben. The man doesn’t look like he’s being insulting… no, he’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>honestly</span>
  </em>
  <span> asking this question. “No wonder she’s not up to flirting, Jun – she’s got her father with her. You’ll get her in trouble or something.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s frozen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Completely. Utterly. Frozen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey releases the man’s arm and he lurches forward slightly, rubbing his shoulder. Looking Ben in the face with shame, he says, “Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to disrespect your daughter. But-!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It seems like he’s going to make some romantic declaration, but his friend grabs him by the collar and tugs him away. The two men stumble in the other direction and Ben’s head turns in slow motion to follow them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He has no idea how to process this information. “They… they think I’m old enough to be your…? That you’re my…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is the exact moment when Ben’s fragile ego breaks in two.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The party still rages outside, well into the night, at this point. Rà and his bride are in their nearby apartment, and Star is tucked into bed, so exhausted that she’ll sleep like a rock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben, however, has his head face down on the table of their on-world home, tipsy after an appropriate amount of amber wine, and whining so much that he even annoys himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You heard what he said. It’s the hair. It’s gotta be the hair. I should have just let Ciel die.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey whaps him, horrified, but knowing he’s being entirely sarcastic. “He’d cry for a million years if he heard you say that out loud. He’d literally run away and his tears would leave raindrops behind him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben turns his head so he can see her, though his ear is still pressed to the table. He mutters petulantly, “You don’t look a day older than when I met you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She runs her fingers through her hair, proud. “I’m much younger than you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Narrowing his eyes, “Not that much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She grins, leaning down to peck the tip of his nose. “Yes, that much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He puts his face back down on the wooden surface, letting out something that sounds like an exaggerated, ‘Wahh, hah, hahhh’.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The kids are growing up," he whimpers. "Rà’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>married. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Star doesn’t even cry when I leave the room anymore. What’s happening to me? Where has my life gone?” he moans half-heartedly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“And why do I have to have this hair?!?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Tipsy herself, vicariously, Rey starts stroking her fingers through it, humming in consideration. Despite his sunken mood, it still feels comforting, even after all these years.</span>
</p><p><span>She hiccups. “Well, your </span><em><span>face</span></em><span> hasn’t aged. Other than this, you</span> <span>look exactly the same.”</span></p><p>
  <span>“Yeah?” He sounds so pathetic.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” she agrees, kindly but also confidently. He doesn’t feel even an ounce of deception from her. If anything it’s… appreciation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You actually like this?” he sounds incredulous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She giggles, still picking through his tresses. “Yeah, I kind of do. You look like a gentleman. Like those guys from Kalana VII; remember them?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He snorts, remembering </span>
  <em>
    <span>quite well </span>
  </em>
  <span>those pompous, arrogant pieces of-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s actually kind of sexy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Well now.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, he feels angsty and anxious. “I want to do something to feel young,” he grumbles. “What can we do?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She considers, leaning her head on his shoulder blade and wrapping over his back. “We could go back out to the celebration.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And have you picked up and me picked </span>
  <em>
    <span>on?</span>
  </em>
  <span> No thank you. I need to </span>
  <em>
    <span>immediately </span>
  </em>
  <span>come up with some system-wide announcement so I can go on-holo and make people </span>
  <em>
    <span>recognize me. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Like this.” He whimpers again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She presses her face against his neck and takes a playful nip at his collar, tugging. Her words are spoken through her teeth. “Or, you can take advantage of it. Walk around like some anonymous person.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scoffs, too proud for his own good, “I don’t want to be some anonymous person,” and it makes her laugh.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mentally, he runs through a tick list of potential young-things (other than fighting, and other than sex), and knows that she’s doing the same. Finally, he lands on something she always asks him for, but he always says no to.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dance with me.” </span>
  <span>Not a question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wraps her fingers around his face, squishing his cheeks and looking into his eyes with nothing short of glee. “You’re actually going to do it? Not a trick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He smiles. “If you can let me buy you things,” he looks over to the not-so-small pile in the corner, “I can try and dance. Only once, though, you hear me? One time!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll take it!” She just about leaps up and her happiness swells within him, making him feel good about his choice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She throws open the balcony door to the party below, carnival lights and smells flowing through. Bright music fills the air and she starts… he has no idea what that is. A hop? A kick? A… jig? What the hell is that?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not that. Please, don’t make me do that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stops dead, hands at her side, whining in a way that completely mimics their daughter, “Heyyyyy!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He lifts his hand and closes the door behind her with the Force, louder than he means to. “Let me pick something </span>
  <em>
    <span>else</span>
  </em>
  <span> to writhe to, please.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something won’t have to make his body do… that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She digs in, stubborn, “But Bennnn, this is young-people music!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He puts his face down on the table once more. His voice comes out nasal and muffled. “Fine.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She ‘Squee’s and he can hear her clap her hands, opening the door and letting back in the sounds.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He stands and moves to her, quite literally dragging his feet until she grabs his arms and starts to repeat her ridiculous movements. No one had ever taught her to dance – and no one ever dared to humiliate her – so her body does everything wrong. She looks foolish, but he hides that thought as hard as he can, just lamenting that he’s going to have to follow her lead and make idiots out of both of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hops.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben Solo, the Monarch of a system, formerly Kylo Ren, the murderous Supreme Leader… </span>
  <em>
    <span>hops, </span>
  </em>
  <span>and he just about wants to die of shame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on, old man,” she digs at him, poking a stick in his competitive side. “See if you can move faster than me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hate this. I hate this so much.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s because you can’t do it,” she challenges. Backing up, she starts slow – just to taunt him. “Start with the basics, Ben.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He grunts, leveraging his eidetic memory, and following her stupid movements from before. He even does it faster than she did, adding a spin at the end for good measure – because why the hell not, at this point?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She claps for him, feigning surprise, though humor runs through her like a freight train. Also a touch of shame. Obviously, she must now realize how ridiculous this looks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Putting that thought aside, she reaches out and grabs his hands. “Now, together. Match me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He moans once more in self-pity before rubbing his thoughts up against hers, merging into synch with her rhythm. They start slowly at first, making sure they don’t #$%ing kick each other, but once they seem to get it down, they speed up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s laughing, and it makes him smile in spite of himself.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I want to do this all the time! </span>
  </em>
  <span>she basically bombards him with the thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don’t get your hopes up – I will </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>never</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> do this again.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Never say never, grandpa.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>And he goes faster, just to irritate her. Latching on, he reels her in and pushes her into a dip – something he’d seen others do – before pulling her up and weaving them into a circle. Soon, even though HE HATES IT, HE SWEARS HE HATES IT, he’s grinning at her. The music picks up, and he actually loses himself in it, not caring how stupid it is, only caring that she’s smiling at him, loving every minute of this farce.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When the song ends, they land in each other’s arms, laughing and swaying as he places a joyful kiss in her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Say you liked it,” she commands, playfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hated it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s do it again!” she bounces on her heels, clicking him under the chin a little as he continues to sway them… which gives him an idea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Stepping away, he closes the doors and leans on them, a devious expression on his face.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blinks at him. “What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He waggles his eyebrows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t do that Finn-thing; it freaks me out.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His grin widens. Lifting himself off the thick glass of the balcony door, he goes to a panel on the wall, tapping in instructions. She approaches behind him but he uses the wide expanse of his body to block her view. He feels her curiosity and he can’t help but let his excitement bleed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pressing the last button, the lights dim and instrumental music starts to swell. Soft notes sing a romantic melody as he steps in towards his wife. She eyes him warily as he slides his hand around the small of her back, taking her hand in his and kissing the red marks on her ring finger.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bringing her closer, he continues that rocking sway, staring at the amazing hazel of her eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he says, meaning every word.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She puts her head on his chest, letting him lead. “I love you, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He kisses her hair again, keeping all his touches soft, spinning them in a slow circle. There was another time in this life where they’d circled each other much differently than they do today. That dance was one of tension as they prepared to attack each other. Dominate. Hurt. Not now, though. Now, they’re in complete harmony, touching everywhere their bodies allow, sharing minds and sharing movement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Who would have ever known this would have happened, years ago? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Cosmic Force, he supposes. It’s done quite a lot to bring them together. To </span>
  <em>
    <span>keep </span>
  </em>
  <span>them together.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The thought makes his heart throb. He waits for her to remember this music, anticipating that moment – and she doesn’t let him down. Rey’s mind is like his. She never forgets a single thing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pulling back, she blinks at him. “This is the song from our dream. The one where you made me beautiful.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bringing her in once again, he touches his forehead to hers. “You’ve always been beautiful. I just made it more obvious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles. “You’re a con man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” he tsks. “Everyone sees how gorgeous you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She pffts. “Only drunk creeps.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not true – everyone does. It’s just that the creeps are the only ones dumb enough to say something about it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wants to retort something else, but his mouth is on hers, now. Soft, plush, nothing but adoration in every movement and caress. He continues their motion as he fills her mind with worship.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re beautiful. The most gorgeous thing I’ve ever seen. Perfection. Soft in all the right places. Everything about you is all I’ve ever wanted, and more. When you joke with me, when you love me, when you’re mad at me, when you </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>dance </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>with me. It has to be you. Always you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Forever you, </span>
  </em>
  <span>she completes, nearly lost in him.</span>
</p><p><span>Their kiss ends, but their rocking embrace lasts as the melody from their memory sings, reminding them of their feelings of longing. Happily, there is no space in their life for that anymore; now they have</span> <span>what they’ve always wanted. They found home in one another. They made a family with one another. They’ve filled each other’s every need.</span></p><p>
  <span>“I love you,” he can’t help but say again, just like he’ll say for eternity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too,” she echoes, adding, “Old man.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But this time, he laughs. It’s short, and a little self-deprecating, but he laughs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rey, sweetheart?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She hums a question mark.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He leans in to kiss her once more. “Shut up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles against his mouth and he decides, right then and there, he doesn’t care what he looks like or what others might think.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right now, all that matters is her.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thanks to MorphoBlueTravels, cdknelson and Enloeddmedia who reminded me that I’m a stronger writer when I’m not trying to <em>just</em> be funny (heh). <em>Also</em> funny is still good, though. </p><p>I hope...</p><p>Shout out to Sarah297 again for wanting everyone to hit on Rey.</p><p>The next chapter is going to be <em>super different!</em> And maybe a little random. I hope you like it!!! After that, just one more. 11 chapters + our usual “Bonus”, and then we’ll all say goodbye to this world. </p><p>...I’mma go cry. A lot. In droves. But I’ve gotta do it; it’s time.</p><p> </p><p>  <em>Soldier up!</em></p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. No One Cares About You! (The Pointlessness of OCs)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a chapter that no one asked for. In a medium no one asked for it in. You're welcome.</p><p>(I pray to god this works well on desktop, tablets and phones)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/ilafoxart">ILAFOX</a> (She did this commission for me! SQUEE!~)</p><p> </p><p></p><div class="center">
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  </p>
</div><p> </p><p></p><div class="center">
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    <br/>
    
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    <br/>
    
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    <br/>
    
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    <br/>
    
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    <br/>
    
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    <br/>
    
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</div><p> </p><p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <br/>
    
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <span class="u">Below, you'll find the original comic manuscript. There were slight changes, but it's mostly the same. </span>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
    <b>Panel 1:  </b>
    <em>
      <span>Super-Kawaii</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>HEY!</span> <span>You know who I am, right?</span></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 2:</b> <em><span>Trying to look cool and important</span></em></p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>It’s me! Saibara-Kapi! I’m the FFO Council CYBORG from Yhdeksan! You remember me from-</span></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 3:</b> <em><span>Wide eyed</span></em></p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>Oh? No?</span> <span>Really?</span></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 4:</b> <em><span>Mopey, fiddling his fingers together.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: Really, I mean – I had, like, a couple lines…</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 5:</b> <em><span>Text is big, Saibara is small</span></em></p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>Which brings me to my Main Point! ORIGINAL CHARACTERS ARE USELESS!</span></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 6:</b> <em><span>Saibara points towards the screen. A character faces him with their back to us. We only see a vague shape.</span></em></p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>Take </span><em><span>You </span></em><span>for example!</span></p>
  <p>
    <span>CHARACTER: Who me?</span>
  </p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>Yes, you. Faceless-you.</span></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 7:</b> <em><span>Saibara-Kapi comes closer to the character, looking a little… uhm… untrustworthy.</span></em></p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>Unless I told the audience here your name, they wouldn’t know who you are. The author N.E.V.E.R. described you.</span></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 8:</b> <em><span>Saibara-Kapi looms over the unknown figure, still approaching closer and closer to the camera.</span></em></p>
  <p><span>SAIBARA-KAPI:</span> <span>I re-read </span><em><span>everything </span></em><span>and gleaned that:</span></p>
  <ol>
<li>
<span>You’re female</span>
</li>
<li>
<span>You have hair</span>
</li>
</ol>
  <p>
    <span>CHARACTER: I’ll have you know, I-!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 9:</b> <em><span>Saibara STAMPS the character</span></em></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p>
    <b>Panel 10:</b>
    
    <em>
      <span>Saibara-Kapi stands to the side as we see (SUPERFLUOUS) stamped on the face of a female character, obscuring any other characteristics.</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 11:</b> <em><span>Ciel snaps into frame with tense concern, looking from the female character to Saibara.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>CIEL: ARI!?</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: If that </span>
    <em>
      <span>is </span>
    </em>
    <span>your real name!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>CIEL: Of course it’s her real name!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p>
    <b>Panel 12:</b>
    
    <em>
      <span>Ari can’t be seen, it’s just Saibara facing off against Ciel. Ciel looks pissed, Saibara just looks mocking, and shrugs.</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: I’m sorry, who are you again? I can’t be bothered to remember all of these worthless OC names.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>CIEL: EXCUSE ME? I’m one of the series </span>
    <em>
      <span>favorites!</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 13:</b> <em><span>Saibara is very RAWR.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: I could have been a favorite, too, if I only got more lines!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: My backstory is Heart-Rending!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>CIEL: Yeah, I’ll bet.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 14:</b> <em><span>Saibara starts to rant words, but his text is coming out as non-words. Ciel doesn’t notice.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: When I was young………..</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 15:</b> <em><span>Saibara continues his blurred rant and Ciel notices there are no words coming out. He starts to look questioningly at the bubble, making Saibara do the same.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: …….. (nonwords)</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 16:</b> <em><span>Saibara snaps his gaze to the camera, indignant. Ciel looks bemused / validated.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 17:</b> <em><span>Saibara opens his mouth and more blurred-words come out. He’s ranting now, puffing and hopping.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 18:</b> <em><span>He stops again, looking at the camera with one eyebrow up.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 19:</b> <em><span>Saibara gets the following words out, sarcastically, and Ciel’s eyebrows narrow, insulted. Rà pops onscreen from the side, blushing and incredulous.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: Rà. Is. The. Best. OC. (Seriously! You let me say </span>
    <em>
      <span>that!!?)</span>
    </em>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>Rà: Don’t bring me into this!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 20:</b> <em><span>Saibara shrugs, smiling and mean.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: I was only kidding, you’re as useless as the rest. You’re only here to manipulate readers into emotionally connecting with the story.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 21:</b> <em><span>Saibara pointing to Ciel, dramatically. Ciel is pissed.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: YOU are just the comedic relief and hold no other value.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>CIEL: I’m gonna kick you in the b-</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 22:</b> <em><span>Saibara pointing to “stamped” Ari, her expression is unreadable due to face-stamp.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: AND YOU! Well, I’ve already made my opinion about you clear.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>ARI: Go @#$ yourself.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 23:</b> <em><span>Saibara dramatically points at Vious and Ikeq. Both are dead and have little spirit bodies. Their names should be printed on their shirts. They should have their arms crossed, almost daring him to continue his thought. (Maybe Vious can have little ghost wings?)</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: AND YOU!!!!!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>VIOUS and IKEQ:  ……..</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: Well, you actually did drive the plot.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 24:</b> <em><span>Saibara crosses his arms, grumpy and insulting, we see him from behind with the “cast” obscured in the front.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: But only because the author wasn’t creative enough to use the canon cast effectively.</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 25:</b> <em><span>Saibara turns around and “eeps”! (Ranma ½ fingers?) as he sees his creator and all the named OCs (Ciel, Rà, Ari, Enja, Vious, Ikeq, Mendje, I’Pasigurt, Leaga) cracking knuckles or looking otherwise assholey.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>NIX and all NAMED OCs: …</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 26:</b> <em><span>Saibara is running (long shot) as all the other characters come in for the kill, Nix holding an eraser and Ikeq with a Darkside object, Ciel with a blaster.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>SAIBARA-KAPI: Okay! Okay! Maybe insulting you was short sighted!</span>
  </p>
  <p>
    
  </p>
  <p><b>Panel 27:</b> <em><span>Far shot of Saibara running away as the horde descends. Rey and Ben are standing in the frame, facing away from the camera, watching the debacle unfold.</span></em></p>
  <p>
    <span>BEN &amp; REY:  Why weren’t we in this episode, again? This </span>
    <em>
      <span>is </span>
    </em>
    <span>a Reylo story, right? Sometimes it’s unclear…</span>
  </p>
  <p> </p>
  <p> </p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>ILLUSTRATING 28 PANELS IN ONE WEEK WHEN YOU'VE NOT DONE ANY CHARACTER DESIGN IS MISERABLE! </p><p>I'm sorry if there are inconsistencies in the way I drew Saibara-Kapi. As I went through, I noticed his face was getting... wider... but I didn't want to re-illustrate it from the beginning! (Weeps!) I hope it made you laugh, regardless. </p><p>(This is where I remind myself that I've haven't drawn for comics in about six years...)<br/>(And it shows...)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. A Divergence of Worlds (Finale)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here we are. The Finale of “The Rise of Ben Solo.” Thank you for being here with me all this time. In the last year, I’ve written 3 novels – and you’ve been with me through it all. You are amazing, and I’m forever grateful for your support. </p><p>This is the end. We can do this. </p><p> </p><p>  <em>Soldier Up. </em></p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Art by me</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div><p>--------------------------</p><p>
  <b>Where: </b>
  <span>Ashtananne – Fire Planet</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Time: </b>
  <span>AS (After Starlight)</span>
</p><p>
  <b>Tags: </b>
  <span>This chapter is unique. It touches on “Alternate Universes” – which are mostly other fics I’ve written, each of which have their own tags. Because of that, I’m going to list these in a special way. </span>
  <b>Brief </b>
  <span>(only in one story segment), and </span>
  <b>overarching</b>
  <span> (throughout).</span>
</p>
<ul>
<li><span>Brief: Blood Consumption, Smut, Post-apocalyptic. Crack, Modern AU (God help me)</span></li>
<li><span>Overarching: Canon Divergence, Canon Crossover, Canon Typical Violence, “Major” Character Death, the Cosmic Force, Meta</span></li>
</ul><p>
  <b>POV: </b>
  <span>Rey / Ben</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey bites her fingernail into jagged edges, eyes burning with dryness, all her tears finally ceased. Ben is numb beside her. His fingers tangle loosely with her free hand, but he’s limp, otherwise. His mind is empty, but hers is throbbing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s just too much. Too many things; so many reasons for sadness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their hearts are broken because Chewie is no more. He wasn’t old for his species, but there had been an attack on his village in Kashyyyk. His son says he fought bravely. He went down with honor, saving a friend by giving his own life. How very much like him, all the way until the end. </span>
</p><p><span>Losing such a dear friend unexpectedly hurts</span> <span>in a way grief hasn’t hit her before.</span></p><p>
  <span>She’d at least known it was coming when Lando passed. She’d been able to emotionally prepare for it, even if only a little. No amount of healing could stop him from growing old, after all – even though they’d tried. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was overwhelmingly sad; for Jannah, for Ben, for Finn, Rà, Nex, Star – everyone. Like it or not, though, it’s the natural way of things. Everyone ages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Except… Rey and Ben aren’t.</span>
</p><p><span>Ciel has given up fighting beside them. His wit and energy are tempered, as well. Finn is showing gray at his temples and can no longer insult her husband for the white shock of hair he’d gotten years ago. Rey’s grandchildren are old enough to train, and Star is flourishing as she starts life outside of the nest. Like her brother, she’s taken to leadership, but she’s also intensely strong in the Force, fighting in every</span> <span>fray alongside her parents – an endeavor Rà and Nex rarely venture on, now that they have children.</span></p><p>
  <span>Everyone ages.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Rey and Ben </span>
  <em>
    <span>aren’t. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Nex sits in front of them now, legs criss-crossed in meditation with heavy tears falling from her eyes. Rà doesn’t know what to do with himself or how he should feel. His wife’s predictions have confirmed that the dyad will outlive their children. And their children’s children. On and on, far beyond what Nex has the power to see.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And she has never been wrong. Not once, in all this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What does it feel like to watch everyone you’ve ever loved die? Does it hurt every time? Or do you just start to accept it and detach from it? Either way, Rey supposes she’s going to find out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Their dyad is the power of </span>
  <em>
    <span>life, itself, </span>
  </em>
  <span>after all.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>For the first time in a long time, she can’t stand it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Getting up, Rey needs to </span>
  <em>
    <span>move. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She needs to </span>
  <em>
    <span>do something. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She needs to…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>… run away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>How can she deal with this? How can she bear to let them all go, one by one?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her tears come again in a fresh burst, and she lets out a rough sob as she exits the room. Rà calls after her, but she can barely hear him. Her twin grandchildren are playing in the living space as she strides sharply away. They ask her what’s wrong, but she’s overwhelmed with the knowledge that they, too, will wither before her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She can’t be here right now. She’s nearly choking on her sorrow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Despite the children’s wide eyes at watching her break in two, she pushes past them and out into the airy courtyard, opening her mouth to let out a scream of anguish.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It was deep in the magma core, Sire; Master Rey. We believe it was an attempt to destroy it. I don’t know much about these objects, but I do know that there haven’t been any Sith since Darth Sidious. It may be very old.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben looks down in thought. His mind is muddy lately; for good reason, he supposes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can you house the Holocron safely? Is it affecting anyone who handles it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naba looks away, morosely. “Some of those who have spent too long nearby it have become angry. Violent, even.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nodding, Ben casts his eyes up, away from the blue-light of the projection screen. “That can happen, though it’s rare for non-sensitives to feel it. It must be very powerful.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He glances at Rey, who’s still dazed and off in her own world. She has her eyes locked on Naba’s flickering face, though, so it looks like she’s perfectly engaged. He knows better.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Filling in for the absence of his wife’s words, he continues, “We’ll be there shortly. Leave it in a room, heavily sealed. Under the lava, if you can manage it. I want it away from your people. Master Rey and I will take it and store it in our archives. We have a few other… </span>
  <em>
    <span>potent </span>
  </em>
  <span>ones that we’ve collected over the years. We know what to do with it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Naba shifts uncomfortably. “Why not just destroy it, Master Solo?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lifting his shoulders, slightly offended, “It’s a piece of history; I refuse to have it just discarded like trash. I will review it and, if it’s deemed too much of a risk, I’ll find a way to either dismantle it or seal it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His councilman nods, somber. “And the Darkness won’t affect you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey bristles on his behalf, coming back to the conversation. She knows that Ben allows his Council to speak their minds freely, but she’s insulted on his behalf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remember, Councilman, the Force is neither good nor bad. It just </span>
  <em>
    <span>is,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>she reinforces.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That note seems to end the conversation; the Vatra simply agrees and gives his pleasantries before signing off. Ben can feel his unease from lightyears away, but there’s little to do about it until he can get the relic off of Ashtananne.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Trying to lighten the mood, he huffs a forced laugh. “What is it with Sith and Fire planets?”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>It’s beautiful. No matter how many of these Rey sees, they will always be beautiful. The glowing red, the harsh triangular shape, the way it rotates horizontally when she floats it on the Force, all of its edges twinkling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With malice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s the part that knots her stomach. Getting too close to the strongest of these things makes her chest hurt with anxiety. Ben handles it better, but his adrenaline spikes. He’s much more used to these artifacts than she is; he still spends time in the archives, pouring over every Holocron in their possession. Blue, Red – it doesn’t matter to him. He just wants the wisdom that lies inside.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes, after he combs them for answers, he’s vicious with rage – but he’s learned how to expend that energy safely, at this point. He’s likely the most powerful Darksider, in her opinion, simply because he’s learned how to not </span>
  <em>
    <span>give into it, </span>
  </em>
  <span>no matter how seductive it feels to overpower.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why do you want this so bad, Ben? What are you looking for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red light reflects off his pale skin as he approaches, lifting his hands to hover around hers and help float it peacefully in the air between them, despite the danger that pours from it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I need to know why.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why we aren’t aging. Why we aren’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>dying.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes narrow and he doesn’t bother nodding. “This is unique – and very old. There might be secrets here that I can’t find anywhere else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She swallows. “I’m not good at these things, Ben.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know,” he agrees quickly. “Do you want to leave?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shaking her head slowly, she firms up her stance. “No.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This will speak in riddles – try to get us off track,” he warns, telling her what she already knows.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She breathes in and out slowly, preparing herself.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben reassures, “If it’s too much for you – I’ll seal it. I swear I will.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Clenching her teeth, Rey simmers with tension. “Okay.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Together, their hands hold steady outside of the object. Ben focuses, so easy for him, and it opens with a subtle, gentle click that misrepresents the energy within. It blooms prettily, opening like a flower bud in hot water, petals descending in soft slowness.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The image that flickers to life hosts a man in a hooded robe, a harsh, triangular mask obscured beneath. Steel grey and red stripes mark its way down the elongated face of it, slashes cutting through the metal.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ominous.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“W-who are you?” Rey can’t help but stammer, but the image inside doesn’t respond.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her husband grows hard and demands, “Answer. Tell us who you are.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It moves to speak. “My true name was lost long ago. I have been both Jedi and Sith, taught by many Masters, and have been Master to many more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve started and ended wars with Mandalorians, the Republic, the Eternal Empire, and changed the face of the Galaxy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I am a warrior, historian, scholar, and strategist. I’ve been called ‘Crusader,’ ‘Revanchist,’ ‘Outlander’ – but you may call me Darth Revan.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben grimaces, his muscles going rigid, recognizing the man within. “You are recorded as living over 300 years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“At this point in time, I have not lived that long – though I have well-exceeded the lifespan of a normal being human. I do not seem to age.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey breathes in sharply. This is who they need. This is </span>
  <em>
    <span>exactly </span>
  </em>
  <span>who they need. “Why have you lived for so long? How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But the man in the mask ignores her once more. Hackles rising, Ben repeats her question and the projection in front of her speaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are many potential reasons I haven’t died. I’ve come to believe that the Cosmic Force has cursed me. My presence has shaped the Galaxy – both for good, and for ill – and I must believe that it’s to serve some sort of purpose. Just like I know your purpose, Dyad.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben flicks his eyes up to hers; intense, curious, and wary. A Holocron has never known them before.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dark rises and Light to meet it,” the silhouetted Sith says. “Your dyad has been prophesized for a very long time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Anger rises steadily within Rey’s heart, reminded that her whole life had been a set-up from the very beginning with little-to-no free will. All to fulfill that damn </span>
  <em>
    <span>prophecy. </span>
  </em>
  <span>She hisses at the object, “How do you know us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It acknowledges her for the first time. “I’ve had visions of you. You and your possible futures.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben doesn’t blink. “Explain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The figure crosses his arms in front of him, haughty, even in this recording. It tilts its head slightly to the side. “You are a lynchpin.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s teeth are clenched in her barely contained fury at his non-answer. “What does that even mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Darth Revan tilts his back slightly, looking upwards to face her, a tiny holo within this evil relic. “Like me, you exist in all universes. Your paths take many turns. This, Dyad, is your most successful path in an infinite amount of possibilities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why don’t we age?” Ben ignores the off-topic conversation and focuses on their reason for being here, understanding that you can easily get lost in the information stored in these mystic mazes of knowledge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The Force isn’t done with you, yet. I’ve seen your future in my visions – </span>
  <em>
    <span>many</span>
  </em>
  <span> of your futures. The ties that bind all timelines together have chosen to favor you in this version of reality. Still, threats will arise unless you are there to stop them.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey leans in, </span>
  <em>
    <span>“What </span>
  </em>
  <span>threats?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The masked man’s hood obscures part of his visor. “Your children. Without you, they will all fall to the Darkness and the Sith will rise again. Just as they have in other realities.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s heart falls into his stomach and Rey’s follows suit. It’s not impossible. Still, part of her refuses to believe it. “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Sith holocrons can </span>
  <em>
    <span>lie.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I have been a great many things in my long life, Dyad, but ‘liar’ is not one of them. Secretive. Misleading – but not a liar. As it seems I am dead, I see no benefit to tricking you, anyway.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s jaw ticks to the side and the familiar eye twitch shows on his otherwise stone face. “I want to see these other realities. These possible futures.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Swallowing, Rey’s not too sure they should do this, but Ben’s determination floods her senses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Revan uncrosses his arms. “I have no power to do that in this vessel. You will need to find the visions, yourself.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How did </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> do it?” Rey’s voice is laced with fear.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Meditation. If my Jedi-self is that one that dominated my soul in the end, I may even be able to find you in the Force. Guide you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s voice is deep. “And what if it’s your </span>
  <em>
    <span>Sith </span>
  </em>
  <span>self we find?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know it doesn’t work like that, Kylo Ren.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Face draining of all color, Ben frowns. “You talk like you know me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The flicker clamps his hands together behind his back. “In another thread of time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With that, the Holocron latches of its own accord, landing softly in Ben’s palm. The desire to act floods him, and he refuses to meet Rey’s eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me we’re not doing this,” she says, somberly, even though she already knows the answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Immediately, without so much as a pause, Ben folds himself onto the ground, the triangular piece glowing red and lighting him eerily from beneath. Simmering with rage, he finally looks at her – but it’s not a normal look. It’s a </span>
  <em>
    <span>glare, </span>
  </em>
  <span>the Darkness taking a hold of him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>With no small amount of resignation, Rey follows him down, takes her position, and scoots close enough that their knees touch. Under everything else, she can still feel his love - the only reason she’s risking this. Force visions are dangerous; they don’t often have a firm grasp on the future you’re looking to see, they can </span>
  <em>
    <span>unhinge</span>
  </em>
  <span> your mind…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>… and you can’t always get out of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He holds his hands out to her, open palmed, silently asking her to take them. “If I need to outlive them all, I need to know </span>
  <em>
    <span>why. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I need to see. If not…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>If not, the truth stands out very clearly. If there is no higher purpose, they will fall into despair. They may even fall to the Darkness themselves, lashing out against everything in the hopes that they’ll finally be defeated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What a dangerous future that would be.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey takes a deep breath, trying to calm herself despite her fear. Red light pours from Ben’s lap as the Holocron rests in the cradle of his legs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her hands slide over his, curling her fingers in a tight grasp, and together they ride the Force that binds the universe together into the unknown.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s pupils dilate in the darkness of this space, a small chamber of pillars with very little light. Whispers are all around her. Deep. Low. The language is foreign, but something in her understands… maybe because </span>
  <em>
    <span>Ben</span>
  </em>
  <span> understands. He’s rigid behind her as the echoes chant.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Tu'iea </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>kraujas</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>         Tu'iea</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em> midwan</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>There is a soft sigh. One of pleasure, followed quickly by an intake of breath that can only sound like pain. Darkness floods the air as they hear the words again.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Tu'iea </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>kraujas</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>         Tu'iea</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em> midwan</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey tips her head around one of the columns, a soft beam illuminating the area just past the curve of the stone. All she can see at first is… herself, laying down on a stone altar of sorts. All around her, dripping from the edges of the tableau, is…  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Her heart hammers. She stares ahead in horror as a man in black moves over the ‘other-her’, his mouth clamping over her limp wrist, something close to ecstasy showing on his face. This other-Rey’s eyes shine Sith-yellow as she whimpers under him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in nightshade – is Ben.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>No.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kylo.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Kylo Ren releases other-Rey’s wrist with a gasp before he begins to whisper over her skin. Something like lust. Something like love.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Tu'iea </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>kraujas</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>         Tu'iea</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em> midwan</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t look,” Ben begs behind her, but it’s too late.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She wants to vomit. Rey can’t bear the malice that swarms all around as this dark man drinks her other’s blood, rivulets leaving lines that run towards the ground in a ‘holy’ Sith ritual to steep yourself in Darkness. The room is thick with the viciousness of it, even as Rey feels adoration and obsession throb between the two figures across the room.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>     Tu'iea </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>kraujas</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Your blood is mine.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>         Tu'iea</span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em> midwan</em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span> kash manosi.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Your power is mine.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>             Tezn vi nu sua tu'iea. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    
  </em>
  <span>Just as I am yours.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The vision fades to grey in an instant and Rey’s knees give out, letting her fall onto the nothing around them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A man approaches, wearing the same color as the grey that swirls in eddies. His face is gaunt and coated with scars, some of them circles with bullseye points in the center; all old, but still red. One of his eyes is a deep brown, the other a sickly yellow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It seems I’ve found you, after all.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The deep voice is familiar, and it dawns on her. “Revan,” she whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks at her, not unkindly, as his yellow eye pierces her with its meaning. “I don’t have as much power here as I’d like. My soul is split, you see. I never was able to fully return to the Light, in the end.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben kneels to help lift her, terror clear on his face. “What </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> that? What did we just see?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Revan looks up at the space where the horror once stood. “A possible life. One of many. So, </span>
  <em>
    <span>so </span>
  </em>
  <span>many.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Taking her husband’s hand, Rey’s stomach settles as she banishes that vision from her mind. She can’t help but confirm, “You'll guide us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man seems incapable of looking anything but serious. “Yes.” He turns to them, softening, “But not all universes are as horrible as that. Some are quite sweet, even if only in stolen moments. Some are intensely sad. Almost none of them end well. Some do for you both, of course, but those who come after you tend to destroy everything you build.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He offers something like a gesture of kindness, opening a hand to each of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come. Let me show you something a little </span>
  <em>
    <span>better.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p><span>The man’s eyes glint</span> <span>with something. Mischief, perhaps. A small smile graces his face – and Rey and Ben fall into another reality.</span></p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ben blanches but is also </span>
  <em>
    <span>intensely curious. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>What the hell is this?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>An ‘other-Rey’ is curled on top of an ‘other-him’ – but not in any position he recognizes. She’s in his lap and the other-him is petting his hand through her hair, absentmindedly. The surrounding décor is one hundred percent his white room on the Steadfast so, whatever this is, he is definitely the Supreme Leader.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other-him places his hands over his eyes and groans in a kind of frustration. Then, he says some key words. Words that should horrify Ben, but instead, they make him want to laugh. Incredulously.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The Supreme Leader stops petting other-Rey’s hair and commands, “Rey, down.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The not-him gets up, unceremoniously knocking her off, strips his shirt, and lays on his bed only to have the not-Rey jump up to join him. Wordlessly. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Enthusiastically.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Couch. Not on the bed! OFF the bed. DOWN, Rey!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His wife stands beside him and chokes back her indignance. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Am I – Ben, am I your pet?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s giggling. He just can’t goddamn help it. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, </span>
  </em>
  <span>his shoulders shake. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yeah, it seems so.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The pet-Rey whines, getting the master-Kylo to relent with a ‘woe is me’ sort of sigh. “I give up. Rey, come.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben grins at his wife. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I guess I’m at least reluctant about having you be my lapdog.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Real-Rey pinches him hard enough for him to let out a rough, “Ow!” though it doesn’t disturb the scene in the slightest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Walking up beside them, Revan continues that mischievous smile as pet-Rey jumps on the bed, thumping up and down, ricocheting Kylo Ren’s body into the air in small bounces, making the Supreme Leader actually smile. This seems to please pet-Rey, and she straddles the man suggestively. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben lifts his eyebrows, absolutely intrigued. She’s – wagging her ‘tail,’ which rocks her hips.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Right over the other-him’s crotch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And boy, does the other-him </span>
  <em>
    <span>notice.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s enough of that, I think,” Revan says, letting the scene go to fog, again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben lets out a small sound of loss, </span>
  <em>
    <span>deeply </span>
  </em>
  <span>wanting to see what happened next. Rey pinches him again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rounding on Revan, she can’t help but bark, “I didn’t know you were going to show us our own </span>
  <em>
    <span>sex scenes.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The man grins back at her. “Oh, dear woman, had you wanted to see a sex scene, we should have stayed in that reality. There’s a good one in there.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben’s urge to laugh becomes something more distasteful. “You watch us?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man in grey shrugs, as if it doesn’t matter. “I’ve seen so many versions of you that I’m numb to it, by now.” He smiles once more, “Even though you put my experiences with my wife to shame.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The dyad’s faces flush with embarrassment.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Want to see one of my favorites?” the once-Sith grins.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both start to say the word, “No,” but it’s far too late.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Another not-Rey is completely bare, kneeling before a naked not-Ben. The woman’s voice is low with seduction. As much as that should catch Real-Rey’s eye, though, it doesn’t. Not at all. She’s too busy with </span>
  <em>
    <span>everything else.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>The room has things she </span>
  <em>
    <span>should </span>
  </em>
  <span>recognize. Something like a bed – something like windows – but everything is strange. Otherworldly. Wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The conversation behind her seems to turn sour, but she barely notices it, going to the curtain to pull it back and observe a shape that looks like it could be a small transport, but with heavy wheels. Low to the ground, not hovering. </span>
  <span>There is a scent here. Something like oil or gas or animal skins, she can’t quite place it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>People… run? Jog? down a strange road lined with odd buildings she doesn’t recognize. Are these homes? One human walks a creature that strides on all fours, panting with its tongue lolling loosely, not minding at all that it’s leashed to someone. There are no other kinds of sentients visible. Not Muun. Not Chagrians – nothing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She turns to Ben, “Where the hell are we?” but her husband is bug-eyed as he stares at his naked other-self. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The man is literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>sproinging </span>
  </em>
  <span>his own erection while in thought, flicking it up and down and letting it bob. Leaned over with his rear in the air, this other-Ben has no dignity or shame as the other-Rey looks at him with nothing but good humor on her expression. The woman speaks to inappropriate-Ben, but it’s not Basic. </span>
  <span>Even so, you can get the gist that not-Rey wants to avoid doing </span>
  <em>
    <span>something </span>
  </em>
  <span>with not-Ben’s manhood. Her face scrunches in distaste, aggravating her partner who gestures at himself indignantly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Though Real-Rey has no point of reference, it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>her</span>
  </em>
  <span> turn to laugh hysterically as her non-husband pouts over his penis, whining about something-or-other.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben chokes out, “No – No, whatever this is, I don’t want to see it!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Really?” Revan teases. “You end up rolling yourself in food, so she’ll put it in her mouth.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What!?! NO! NO! NO!” Ben covers his ears. “LA LA LA LA!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>In hysterics, Rey clutches her belly and screams her laugher. Revan joins her, though more politely, and the scene fades away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’d rather be an animal, Ben, then rub my private parts in FOOD just to make you tolerate them!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shhhh-shush it!” Ben growls at her, humiliated beyond reason. It only continues Rey’s hysterics as his face reddens with shame.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking harshly at Revan, he warns, “Never. Show. Me. Anything. Like. That. Again.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The half-Jedi-half-Sith continues his grin, but nods. “It’s a shame. This is incredibly fun. I could show you one where you are so lonely and angry, you just start thrusting into food. There’s a lot of timelines with something romantic between you and sustenance.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Pointing his finger in something like a threat, her husband nearly dies with horror. “JUST – no.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What the hell is wrong with other-mes? </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben can’t help but ask into her mind, sending her into fresh gales as she literally cries with uncontrollable mirth.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Grey swirls around them again.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“We are </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>speaking of that, do you hear me?” Ben hisses at his wife in warning as she wipes her wet eyes. She doesn’t answer him, which just proves he will likely be revisiting this moment </span>
  <em>
    <span>several </span>
  </em>
  <span>times in the near future.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The mist clears and Ben sees ‘himself’ and another ‘Rey’ in the cockpit of some unknown vessel. The mood is completely different as lightning licks over the ship. His wife's humor dies immediately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Exegol.” She breathes out the word like a horrible sigh.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything he can see through the viewport is in ruins. If this was the last battle between the Final Order and the rest of the galaxy – it did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>go as he remembered it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>As the ship they’re in breaks the atmosphere, the horrors only continue. Rey’s fingers lace through his in terror as the viewscreen shows nothing but dead bodies floating in the vacuum of space.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So many…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why are there so many?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not-his-Rey leans over and retches out nothing, and he can’t blame her. His heart goes out to one of these ‘other hers’ for the first time, and he feels like he needs to hold this false-Rey. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Should be holding her, </span>
  </em>
  <span>but ‘Kylo-Ren’ is beside her doing the next best thing – getting them out of there.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s going on?” his wife’s hand tightens around his, her palm sweating. “This isn’t what happened.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Revan is still behind her, his voice laced with sympathy. “In another time, you’re all that remain.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Looking at him with wide, emotional eyes, Ben’s blood runs ice cold. “What does that mean?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Face snapping back towards the action happening in front of him, Ben can’t help but note the terror in the eyes of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>other</span>
  </em>
  <span>-dyad. The viewscreen is filled with blackness. Nothing. Not a single pinprick of light.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other-him speaks. Almost in singsong, he murmurs, “There is no light; there is no </span>
  <em>
    <span>life.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They ended the stars, Rey – and that ends everything else.” He gets up out of his chair in a sharp movement, striding out of the cockpit in heavy stomps and throwing two last words over his shoulder. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“Even us.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben reels, unsteady on his feet. “How did this happen?”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Waving his hand and parting the mist, Revan says, “Does it really matter? All that matters is that it happened. It’s real. In another level of the spire that connects all universes, you and Rey are the only sentient species left alive.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He feels his wife’s heart break. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Feels </span>
  </em>
  <span>it, deep inside him. His throat closes on itself as he tries to swallow, but can’t.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Enough,” he nearly begs. “Show us what we came for. Show us why we have to live for so long.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Revan seems filled with apprehension. His eyes pass sadly back and forth between the two of them. In the end, he gives them what they want.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ben and Rey are gripped in vertigo. Instead of the mist transporting them, they feel like their bodies are being ripped into this new plane of existence. It hurts, and they double over in sharp pain as it shreds through them.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rey gasps, holding her knees and lifting her head to dart her eyes back and forth to find what Darkness awaits her. She can feel it like a sickness. In front of her, not-Rey and Kylo Ren sport red sabers and yellow eyes, swathed in black, facing off against two other masked warriors.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Sith, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben realizes. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Both us – and them.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We must be battling for power, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey agrees.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“You can’t, I won’t </span>
  <em>
    <span>let</span>
  </em>
  <span> you,” Kylo’s voice is dripping with malice.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>One of the masks in front of him laughs cruelly, waving his blade in a circle as his deep voice rings out from his modulator. “Stop me, then.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Dark-Rey ignites her weapon in a threat. “Our Empires don’t have to collide. It doesn’t have to be like this.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. It does.” The other masked Sith stands beside the male, head held high. This one’s voice is clearly feminine. “Exactly like this, actually. I know how it all ends, and I know that we </span>
  <em>
    <span>win.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kylo and Rey waste no more time on words, leaping in and beginning their attack as booms echo throughout the interior of the ship, sealed behind heavy doors. Out of the viewscreens, turrets fire and laser cannons obliterate unknown crafts. Not X-wings, not Tie-fighters – something new and unrecognizable. </span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The male Sith raises a blade against Kylo, catching his angle wrong, but working through it and shoving him back. “You’ll never beat me, old man. Not in this life.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Dark-Rey jumps in towards the female, lashing her double-ended saber-staff in a deadly twirl, knocking the other blade away and flinging it across the gleaming floor. Sidestepping, the other woman easily dodges, dancing around the additional swipes that rend the air around her. Raising her hand, she </span>
  <em>
    <span>presses </span>
  </em>
  <span>with the Force, pushing Dark-Rey back, though only by the smallest bit.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The other woman starts to pull away, her one hand raised in a threat. Her gaze is on the other-Rey, but she’s moving dangerously closer to the men fighting nearby.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Idiot, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey scolds the unknown Darksider. </span>
  <em>
    <span>She’ll be caught in the other battle. Better to face me alone and take me farther away from you. From -Kylo-.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Her husband agrees. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Look at their stances. Look at how she barely pushed you! There is no way either of them can overpower us. She needs to call back her weapon before taking even one more step. What she’s heading towards is deadly.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The other me must see that, though, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey thinks. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I seem more than happy to let her go.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The males rail against each other; hard, fast, and brutal. Kylo’s eyes are glowing an acid-lemon color, his teeth bared in a terrifying grimace. His strikes are heavy, overwhelming, and the other male is forced to step back.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll win, old man,” he hisses between strikes. “You know we’re never wrong. We’ve </span>
  <em>
    <span>seen </span>
  </em>
  <span>it in the Force.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kylo growls, “You’ve seen </span>
  <em>
    <span>nothing!” </span>
  </em>
  <span>and dives back in for more.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>His blade slices, lancing the other man’s side in a swath of hot pain, making him cry out harshly. Kylo leans in, jabbing with surgical precision, nipping the man’s collar, his arm, his wrist.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You’re drawing this out, </span>
  </em>
  <span>Rey can’t hide her distaste. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You’re hurting him on purpose.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I think that I must -want- to hurt him. Make him submit. Make him admit that he’s lost. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Ben mourns this cruel version of himself. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I could have killed him twice over, by now.</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’LL NEVER LET YOU RULE OVER ME! </span>
  <em>
    <span>I WILL BE THE ONE TO BRING THE GALAXY TO A NEW ORDER!”</span>
  </em>
  <span> the other Darkside male screams. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kylo Ren seems to make a decision, completely blanking his face into neutral and going in for the final blow. The other Sith’s blade is raised too high – poised for an aerial hit – and he won’t be able to block his vitals in time. Kylo’s saber curves in a powerful arc-</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>But the female Sith lurches in front of the strike, taking the full hit across her breast line, straight through her lungs, gasping a hollow wet sound.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rey can’t help but grab Ben’s arm in shock.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” the masked male whispers. </span>
  <em>
    <span>“No!”</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Kylo backs off as his opponent follows his compatriot to the ground, his back completely exposed to the other Darksiders, vulnerable and open to attack. He pulls off the female’s mask, revealing her to the air she’ll only get to breathe for moments longer, a sob echoing heavily through his modulator.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Real Rey inhales sharply, a hand pressed to her mouth as her heart breaks. She knows who this is.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Auburn hair, short and heavy with sweat, shifts as the mask disengages. The woman’s chest hitches as she lay dying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not you. Please, don’t let it be you.” Kylo’s saber sags, blade retreating and the hilt dropping to the floor with a harsh metallic clang.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>The other male doesn’t seem to hear him, or care for even a minute for his own well-being. He disengages his own mask with a metallic puff and throws it aside, pleading as he takes the woman’s face in his hands, begging her to stay.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>Her voice breathy, crumbling, the once-feisty girl raises her eyes to the man who hovers above her and somehow manages to smile. “Don’t worry. You’ll win. I… I </span>
  <em>
    <span>saw </span>
  </em>
  <span>it. This was… I was always meant to…”</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>He shushes her, drifting his hands down so his gloved fingers caress her lips. But it’s too late. </span>
  <span>The Precog had seen her own fate, and accepted it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nex’s life is over.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The other Sith… is Rà – her baby. Her beautiful boy. Her wonderful, loving, conflicted son. He whips around to face the Dark versions of his parents.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Not-Rey looks much like her twin in this moment, covering her mouth as tears cascade from her eyes. “It wasn’t supposed to be </span>
  <em>
    <span>you. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I never knew… how could it be </span>
  <em>
    <span>you?”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rà’s face is a storm of hate. “I’ll kill you. I’ll kill </span>
  <em>
    <span>both of you.”</span>
  </em>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He stands, raises his hand, and calls his saber to him once more, clenching his fist around it and filling so heavily with Darkness that even the Sith-Rey staggers.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Kylo pleads, his face no longer stoic. He’s broken. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Devastated. </span>
  </em>
  <span>But the words that come out of his mouth are filled with love.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s you. You’re </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’d always hoped, even </span>
  <em>
    <span>prayed…”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Rà sneers at his once-father. “No, the boy you knew is long dead. Will </span>
  <em>
    <span>stay </span>
  </em>
  <span>dead.” He gazes at the woman that lays perfectly still at his feet. “After all, you’ve finally killed the last bit of Light that lived inside him.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He looks at Kylo viciously. “Thank you.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>When Rà lunges, Kylo does nothing. His son rages across the distance between them and </span>
  <em>
    <span>plunges </span>
  </em>
  <span>his blade through his father’s chest, the red glow lighting up the space between his shoulder blades. Dark-Rey goes to her knees with a sharp cry, landing roughly on the floor, gripping her heart in pain before a moment of silence unspools.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Softening, Rà merely looks at his father and repeats the words, once more.</span>
  <em>
    
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Thank you.”</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>A tear falls from Kylo’s haunted, yellow eyes as he reaches up, faltering, and runs a gentle hand over Rà’s face. The only thing he says is: “I… I’m so glad… that you’re alive.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Real Rey </span>
  <em>
    <span>screams, </span>
  </em>
  <span>unable to do anything as Kylo Ren dies before her, Dark-Rey following immediately; their dyad in action. Rà holds his father in his arms and looks at the vaulted ceiling for a heavy moment, his emotions as dead as those around him.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Then, wordlessly, his shucks the dark-haired man off him like the disgusting corpse it is, standing and walking away with hard and thunking steps. He pauses for only a moment to look at Nex, though his face shows no expression anymore.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Bending, he snatches his mask from the ground and reaffixes it around his face, turning, relighting his blade, and moving out of the room towards whatever battle rages beyond the shuttered doors.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>And then the mists cover this image, dismissing it to its own reality.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Rey is sobbing. Ben can barely breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Revan sighs. “As I said, we three are lynchpins. There are many that exist in more than one possibility – but few that exist in them </span>
  <em>
    <span>all. </span>
  </em>
  <span>Few that can make such an </span>
  <em>
    <span>impact. </span>
  </em>
  <span>One of those lynchpins – is your son.”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Ben can’t help but beg for answers. “How? He’s not powerful enough to...”</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>Revan hums a sort of agreement. “He never does it by himself. In fact, in the majority of timelines, he never makes it past childhood. His father destroys him, or he self-destructs. In many, Nex finds him and pulls him to the Light. In some, she finds him – and he pulls her to the Dark.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“Those are </span>
  <em>
    <span>dangerous.</span>
  </em>
  <span> With his intelligence and her precognition, they hold the power to devastate what stands in their way. Sometimes he loves her – but, often, it turns to control. Unhealthy. Cruel. But she never leaves him. She only uses her feeling to channel her powers. To become more </span>
  <em>
    <span>useful.</span>
  </em>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“In some, you come at him separately; enemies with a united purpose. Sometimes, you’ve both died in the battle against the Final Order and there’s no one left who can stand against him. Sometimes, the Jedi Masters Rey and Ben Solo destroy this dark Sith. Often, he’s not even your son when you do it.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“In the most terrifying of all of these scenarios, Rà drags Star to the Darkness. She leads them all, reborn as Darth Nhema. Many worlds are destroyed under her reign. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“As kind as she is now, she becomes sadistic. That Golden Thread seizes your son and he is powerless to turn against her. When he finally dies, she goes mad. Just like Dark Nihilus, she uses her bloodlust to feed on the Force energy of others, sustaining her for </span>
  <em>
    <span>hundreds</span>
  </em>
  <span> of years in the harsh grip of her insanity.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Her dark reality happens most often when you, her parents, die. It doesn’t seem to matter how.</span>
  
</p><p>
  <span>“So it is with your grandchildren. And theirs. Until your bloodline is so significantly diluted that none can manage that level of destruction. </span>
  <span>If you live, not only will you circumvent those threats – but </span>
  <em>
    <span>many more. </span>
  </em>
  <span>These are just the ones who matter most to you in this moment. These are the ones that will make you accept your fate and </span>
  <em>
    <span>live.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>There are no words. Not a single word lives inside Ben’s mind. Only grief. Misery. Anguish.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey’s voice is broken. “If we live, we can save them?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lips pulling into a deep frown, Revan nods. “In this timeline. This is the only possibility that stops all of it. It doesn’t stop it forever, but it stops it for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>longest.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“If it will save them,” Rey’s tears fall like rain, “I’d do anything.”</span>
</p><p><span>Revan smiles, then. “I know you, Dyad. Through many lives and many trials, I know you both. Despite the sadness you may feel during your long lives, it’s nothing compared to the compounded sorrow of the entire Galaxy,</span> <span>should you fail to exist.”</span></p><p>
  <span>Ben can’t bear the weight of it. It’s not fair. None of this is fair. But – his life has </span>
  <em>
    <span>never </span>
  </em>
  <span>been fair. Not from the very beginning. </span>
  <span>This time, though, even if he had a choice, his fate would be the same.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then, that’s it,” Ben whispers. “If the alternative is...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He locks eyes with Revan. “I promised my son that I wouldn’t let him become a monster. That I’d do </span>
  <em>
    <span>anything. </span>
  </em>
  <span>So, this is me keeping my word.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rey scrubs the back of her hand over her eyes and sniffles, loudly. “Me, too. If this is what it takes, me too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The half-Sith, half-Jedi looks at them with sorrow infused into his smile. “At least you have each other. After I left my wife....” He trails off, looking away and shaking his head, slightly. “Someday I’ll find her in the Force, though. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Someday,” </span>
  </em>
  <span>he insists. “And if your children stay Balanced, perhaps you’ll see them again, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s on that note of hope that the Force vision breaks. </span>
  <span>At that same moment, the Holocron in Ben’s lap cracks a jagged edge up the center, its glowing light fading to nothing, leaving its shell powerless and empty. </span>
  <span>Rey and Ben stare as it lies lifeless between them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Perhaps its job was done.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>~~~~~~~~~~~~</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>He holds her hand as they approach the entryway to their private courtyard. They can hear their children and grandchildren playing happily beyond the closed doorway. Bright laughter fills the air, taking over all other sound as the twins squeal playfully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“’Forever you’ holds new meaning now, doesn’t it?” Ben can’t help but ask.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She nods, comforted by at least that. “Maybe, after hundreds of years pass, you’ll find it in your heart to give me something I suddenly, desperately want.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looks at her curiously, tipping his head and letting his braids get caught in his collar a bit. “And what’s that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She can’t help but grin at him, in spite of everything. “I want to see you ‘sexually thrust into sustenance’.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ben snorts so loudly it echoes. He shoots another, “Shhhhhhh-shush it!” in her direction, turning red with humiliation.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She laughs; she can’t help it. As they hover just outside their family’s sight, she lifts his hand and kisses the red rings around his finger. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love them, Ben.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He nods, turning in and kissing her temple. “I love them, too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In this world – this </span>
  <em>
    <span>timeline – </span>
  </em>
  <span>everything has been leading to this, hasn’t it? Our war will end up sustaining peace, in the end,” she muses.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Lips still resting against her, Ben intones, “I hope so, baby. I really do.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She smiles again, turning to catch him in a soft kiss. Once, then twice. “I love you, too, you know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You better,” he grumbles. “You’re stuck with me for a loooong time.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Giggling, she just accepts it. This is how it will be. She will love her family, every generation, for every moment she can, together with the man who is the other half of her soul. </span>
  <span>They will teach, they will learn, they will do good and inspire goodness. They will live long, but they will live long for </span>
  <em>
    <span>a reason. </span>
  </em>
  <span>In their reality, perhaps theirs alone, the Cosmic Force finally got it </span>
  <em>
    <span>right.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>She looks at her husband once more, flooded with emotions that she will push to the positive, and keeps that smile alive on her forever-beautiful face. His dark, warm eyes look back at her with the promise that, no matter what, he’ll always be by her side.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s with that thought in their hearts that they open the heavy outer door. Taking a long look, and a deep breath, they walk towards the laughter of the people they love the most. Ready to face it all; the joy of it, the sorrow of it – but, no matter what, always together. They are not alone.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And now, they won’t let their family be either.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Not for as long as they both shall live.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>
  <span>The End.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
~</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The “thrusting into food” is a fic I heard about when I was invited to be on an episode of Pink Milk’s Star Wars podcast (@ServingPinkMilk on Twitter). It was a HILARIOUS conversation. </p><p>I’ve never read the fic (though perhaps I should). It’s called, “Fuck you Spaghetti” by anonymous. https://archiveofourown.org/works/27625475</p><p> <b>Prompted by Ninireuls:</b> Rey/Ben 30-35 Years in the Future. (Though I didn’t go <em>exactly</em> that far in the future…)  Ninireuls also gave me courage to use my “Dark Rà” idea.</p><p>As per my penchant for using other languages to make names, Nhema means black.</p><p>This story gives a nod to “The Dark Tower” series by Stephen King. Though not perfect, it affected me profoundly and has the best ending of any Stephen King book I’ve ever read.<br/><br/>Ka is a wheel, my friends. </p><p> And all roads lead to the Dark Tower.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. BONUS CHAPTER</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b> (Make sure you read the last chapter, first!)</b>
</p><p>
  <span>This work was so different for me, as it was short slices of life. I originally intended to write out-of-order, non-continuous, crack/fluff-only, one-shots. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I failed in that endeavor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Even so, I’m proud of it. To me, it was both funny and had parts that gave me the feels. I hope you feel the same. If you want a lil’ bit of a deeper look behind the curtain, please see below. As always, skip whatever disinterests or displeases you.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<ol>
<ol>
<li>
<b>Fan recognition:</b><span> Info dated April 8th, 2021 </span>
</li>
<li>
<b>On Being Prompted: </b><span>Some of my ideas were really your ideas!</span>
</li>
<li>
<b>On Writing Crack:</b><span> I’m not as funny as I think I am. </span>
</li>
<li>
<b>Meta: </b><span>So, what were those Divergent Realities?</span>
</li>
<li>
<b>Final Thoughts with Elle and Nix – The End of “The Rise of Ben Solo”
</b>
</li>
<b>
<li>
<b>Next-Thing Teaser
</b>
</li>
</b>

<p> </p>

<p> </p>
<div class="center">

<p>
    <b>Fan Recognition!</b>
  </p>
</div>

<p> </p>

<p>
  <span>This section is specifically to recognize the people who took a chance on this silly crack (that became not-so-crack) fic when it was still a work-in-progress. Thank you, guys! Not only for your support in this story, but the whole trilogy. </span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>(Wait! Wait. I… I just wrote a sequel trilogy for the Sequel Trilogy…???)</span>
</p>
<div class="center">

<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div>


<div class="center">

<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div>

<p> </p>

<p>
  <span>(PS </span>
  <span>–</span>
  <span> if the art is</span>
  <em>
    <span> still </span>
  </em>
  <span>trash, then that’s because of me.)</span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>Every morning after I posted a chapter, I would awaken and blearily stare at my Ao3 inbox before even getting out of bed to pee. </span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>Kudos and Comments keep me going,<b> always. </b>A big thank you to the below people who left comments throughout the fic.</span>
</p>
<div class="center">

<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
</div>

<p>
  <span>The bed remained dry, btw. No beds were harmed in the making of this fic.</span>
</p>

<p>
  <em>
    <span>**Special note – to those of you who supported me on Facebook, because you comment with your real names, I didn’t want to list you here in respect for your privacy. But, I DO love you and want to be sure you feel that from me!**</span>
  </em>
</p>

<p> </p>
<div class="center">

<p>
    <b>On Being Prompted</b>
  </p>
</div>

<p>
  <span>When I wrote for comic books, I would collaborate with an editor. We would bounce suggestions off each other, and some of the ideas would spin into their own stories or become much bigger/more important than we’d originally anticipated! That’s my first experience with something like ‘prompting.’ It was kind of like throwing spaghetti at a wall to see what stuck. </span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>The only back-and-forth opportunity in fic writing is via social media interactions (my whole 200 Twitter followers &lt;3) and via the comments. Comments give me LIFE!!! And </span>
  <span>–</span>
  <span> not just as a boost to my ego. (Though… also.)</span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>Some of the responses I saw guessed at what would happen later on in the story. It was SO FUN to see if I was being too obvious or if I’d led you completely astray. It was a pulse check to see whether or not my “twist” would make sense in the story. I’m still learning to write more complex ideas. </span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>Other comments made connections / drew parallels that I hadn’t even intended, which was mind-blowingly awesome! So many things I never saw! If only I did; it would have made me SUPER COOL! (Alas, as it stands, I am not super cool.) </span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>There were other moments in comments, though, where someone would say a lil’ nugget of something and it would live rent-free in my brain. Some of those, I had the privilege to weave into my story. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That </span>
  </em>
  <span>became the sort of editorial back-and-forth I was missing.</span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>Now, FFOFluff was more overt. I was literally like, “Prompt Me,” and man, I got some </span>
  <em>
    <span>good ones! </span>
  </em>
  <span>I’m not sure that I was able to capture them word-for-word, but I think the essence of them made it into the story. It inspired me, honestly, and I can’t thank my prompters, enough. (Other than to recognize them in an award that they </span>
  <b>cannot</b>
  <span> redeem for cash money.) (Seriously, I have no money for you.)</span>
</p>

<p>
  <span>Here are some prompts that</span>
  <em>
    <span> didn’t </span>
  </em>
  <span>make it in: </span>
</p>
</ol>
</ol>
<ul>
<li>
<b>Me: </b><span>Rà facilitates life and death in hospitals (but in a funny way)</span>
</li>
<li>
<b>MorphoBlueTravels:</b><span> Why did Ciel want to leave the Stormtrooper Village and go with Ren?</span>
</li>
<li>
<b>Sarah297: </b><span>Finn is nervous to impress Lando because he likes Jannah or wants to marry her</span>
</li>
</ul><p>
  <span>Yes, I skipped one of my own prompts. I did enough ‘Rà doing depressing things’ ideas, thank you.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <b>On Writing Crack</b>
  </p>
</div><p>
  <span>Oh man. Sometimes I’m forced to realize that my sense of humor is </span>
  <b>not </b>
  <span>universal and does </span>
  <b>not </b>
  <span>translate. In a way, writing humor is harder than writing emotions. Emotions are something everyone feels – but humor… it’s personal, it’s cultural. If it’s not slapstick, it’s a risk! </span>
</p><p><span>You have no idea, in the first few chapters, I was trying so </span><em><span>hardcore </span></em><span>to come up with funny scenarios. I was so paranoid</span> <span>that they wouldn’t be funny enough. That's how we ended up with wagging dongs in Chapter 2. </span></p><p>
  <span>Eventually, I settled in a bit more and remembered that my writing has always been a mix of humor (debatable) and emotionality. Some of you guys really helped remind me of that when I dipped my toe back into the “feelings” bowl. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end, I hope this third installment was funny. And fluffy. And crack-y. And also, in parts, just as exciting, heartfelt and heart-wrenching as any other part of this series. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>And, yes, Saibara-Kapi’s backstory was truly one worth remembering. (Sniff.) Too bad I don’t remember it, anymore… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I erased him. </span>
</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <b>Meta</b>
  </p>
</div><p>
  <span>The crossovers in the last story were totally meta. I actually (obnoxiously) referenced my own fics as Alternate Realities. I even gave a HEAVY NOD to the next long fic I’m writing (see the “Next Thing Teaser”). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>It may seem random, but I did this for a reason. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What fascinates me about canon-writing in fandom is that it often starts with these single moments of time. These pinprick scenes in the “real” story. Thousands of writers take those and nurture them into these new and exciting experiences, letting a new Ben and Rey come to life in every one of them. Jedi, Sith, Scoundrel. Savior, Abuser. Living, Dying. In this way, the characters have become nearly limitless.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>I thought that glimpsing into these other “timelines” would help us recognize the amazing variety of stories that exist in the fandom. In fact, I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>going </span>
  </em>
  <span>to connect with some of my favorite authors and weave the last chapter through</span>
  <em>
    <span> their works!</span>
  </em>
  <span> But – do you know what happened?</span>
</p><p>Got. Lazy. And. A. Chapter. Was. Due.</p><p>
  <span>So, you’re stuck with my goddamned stories. Here’s what I referenced, in order: </span>
</p><p>
  <b>Incantations: </b>
  <span>With dangerous eyes on them, Kylo and Rey must do everything they can to steep themselves in the power of the Dark side. </span>
  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26361325">
    <span>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26361325</span>
  </a>
  
</p><p>
  <b>Puppy Love:</b>
  <span> Kylo has the chance to impose his will on his obsession </span>
  <span>–</span>
  <span> but he's too desperate. He pushes too hard, asks for too much and it... short circuits her. Now Rey </span>
  <span>–</span>
  <span> his unbeatable Rey </span>
  <span>–</span>
  <span> is acting like... a puppy. Damn it. </span>
  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25837051">
    <span>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25837051</span>
  </a>
  
</p><p>
  <span>(God Help Me) </span>
  <b>You Like Pizza?: </b>
  <span>What happens when you want nothing more than to please him... and he’ll debase himself any way possible in order to help you do just that? </span>
  <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25396387">
    <span>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25396387</span>
  </a>
  
</p>
<ul>
<li><span>This was written as a joke, guys – I swear to god! And it was my first-ever smut. So… it’s hilarious. </span></li>
</ul><p><b>The End of Everything: </b><span>When Rey and Kylo awaken to find they'd survived the battle of Exegol, one thing becomes painfully clear. They may have defeated Palpatine... but they still lost. They still lost </span><em><span>everything.</span></em> <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29234019/chapters/71782377"><span>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29234019/chapters/71782377</span></a></p><p> </p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <b>Final Thoughts with Elle and Nix</b>
  </p>
</div><p>
  <span>At this point, if you read the previous bonuses, you’ve seen me and Elle’s “About Us” at least twice. Let’s do something different. I sent Elle a few questions to answer, and she sent some to me. Let’s see what came of our tête-à-tête. (Yes, I had to Google the correct accent marks. Don’t judge me!)</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <b>And so, I asked – “Dear Elle,”</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was your favorite part of the story?” </span>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<span>Elle: The characterization! One really unique thing about Nix’s writing is her ability to really capture the characters’ personalities and voices. The original characters all have distinctive characteristics, while the canon characters are so true to canon that I could hear them in my head as I read. In particular, I have such a big soft spot for Finn. He’s got to be my second favorite character in Star Wars </span><span>– second only to Ben. </span><span>I’ve never read a more realistic Finn than in this saga! I sincerely hope Nix continues to explore Finn’s character, as well as that of others who didn’t feature prominently in this series, such as Jannah and Rose.</span>
</li>
</ul><p>
  <span>“What was a mistake in Nix’s writing that you had to correct most often?”</span>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<span>Elle: Honestly, most of the edits I made ended up being one type of typo. Nix writes fast. Like, gives-you-whiplash-to-run-a-writing-sprint-with-her </span><em><span>fast</span></em><span>. Inevitably, this comes with some typos. She does an excellent job of editing before she hands chapters off to me (and her SPAG only continues to improve!) but she somehow always misses a few hyphens that are supposed to be n-dashes. And we all know how much she loves her n-dashes! So I always ended up going in and pasting in the little n-dashes in their proper places.</span>
</li>
</ul><p>
  <span>“Which original character will you miss the most?” </span>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<span>Elle: I’ll miss all of the original characters soooo much! They’re all wonderful. But I have to say, Ciel really stood out for me. He’s such a fully formed and rich character, and he’s directly from Nix’s head! Whereas I may read other Reylo children and political collaborators, there will </span><em><span>never</span></em><span> be another Ciel.</span>
</li>
</ul><p> </p><p>
  <b>And so, Elle asked me – “Dear Nix,”</b>
</p><p>
  <span>“What was the most challenging part of the story to write?”</span>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<span>Nix: This is a very good question. I think that, for me, it’s always about the ending. I’ve read a lot of really </span><em><span>great </span></em><span>books that have really lack-luster endings or went on too long. I wanted to really try to have “Big Bang” endings </span><span>–</span><span> god only knows if I succeeded, but that was my intention, anyway!! </span>
</li>
</ul><p>
  <span>“If you could go back in time and change one thing about the story, what would you change and why?”</span>
</p>
<ul>
<li><span>Nix: It’s funny that you ask that question because I was bored and started tooling around and rereading “The Redemption of Kylo Ren.” It was the first fanfiction I ever wrote, so I’ll give it a pass for some of its errors, but the whole first political rally/protest thing on Karuvis is SO POORLY WRITTEN THAT I HAD TO STOP READING IT. Ugh, I vomited in my mouth a little. I feel like I need to use a vacation day to go back and fix that monstrous bit and make it something that’s actually fun to read. (As fun as politics can be, anyway…)</span></li>
</ul><p>
  <span>“Who was your favorite original character to write?” </span>
</p>
<ul>
<li>
<span>Nix: You know, Vious and Ciel are cool because they actually had their own mannerisms when speaking. I think that Vious was like that, especially. (All credit goes to Lucasfilm there, because I just riffed off of the guy from The Phantom Menace.) Even though Vious was awesome, though, Ciel is the one I’ll miss the most. Rà was sweet and definitely had a personality </span><span>–</span><span> but he didn’t have a “Voice” the way that Ciel did. How many characters blow kisses in the middle of a battle and willingly tell their boss that he’s a scary bastard? He even had a catch phrase! So, sorry one-million, three-hundred-and-sixty-five-thousand other original characters; Ciel has to win. </span>
</li>
</ul><p>
  <span>Elle has completed her journey as my fic-beta, and has lived to tell the tale. I can’t give her enough props for being with me over these three stories. Killing my n-dashes, telling me, “This doesn’t make sense, Nix,” and peppering my Google Doc with enthusiastic LOLs and OMGs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>I couldn’t have done it without you. Thank you. </span>
</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <b>Next Thing Teaser!</b>
  </p>
  <p>
  <em>
    <span>Coming in June, 2021! (Subscribe for notifications!)</span>
  </em>
</p>
  <p> </p>
  <p>
  <b>The Shadows Inside</b></p>
</div><p>
  <span>When Kylo finds a filthy girl in the ruined remains of Empire tech, he senses an inexplicable and immediate connection. Who is this ‘Rey-from-nowhere’? In his mind, all he can hear is an unfamiliar name pulsing like a heartbeat every time he looks at her. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bastila. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When their fingertips touch, he is flooded with memories that aren’t his. An unknown life spools out before him, and as Kylo cries out that unfamiliar name, it’s Rey’s voice that echoes back, calling him – </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Revan.” </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Haunted by a past that doesn't belong to them, Kylo and Rey seek to learn about the mysterious couple that plagues their souls. Will they let history repeat itself, becoming the doomed lovers of an ancient past? Or, can they finally break the cycle and find a life together?</span>
</p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>
    <em><br/>
<span>Coming in June, 2021! (Subscribe for notifications!)</span><br/>
</em>
  </p>
  <p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  <p>
    <br/>
</p>
</div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I hope you laughed at my crack – because more of these crack fics are coming down the crack pipe. I’m going to shoot for my “one a week” cadence - but I’m an idiot who wants to try to illustrate a silly cover for every silly chapter. I’LL DO MY BEST!!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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